The Nonsense of Life
by Hannahble
Summary: Sometimes, after a life of big events, the little moments mean the most. Riku and Sora's crazy quirks and life together in a series of random oneshots. Riku/Sora, Axel/Roxas, Romance/Humor & Angst occasionally; Rated T for suggestive-ness and cursing.
1. Ferrets

_~Ferrets~_

'Oh, no, Sora." Riku starts threateningly, glaring at the white creatures. Sora watches the little wrestling animals delightedly, unaware as his companion's jade eyes look menacingly at the violent ferrets. He knows they had already charmed the more light hearted male beside him. The silverette continues, "I know what you are thinking, but I swear to God that I will _not _be the one to take care of those rats."

Sora looks outraged. "How could you call them rats, Riku? They're adorable!" Sea blue eyes glare back at the silverette but then turn their attention back on the wrestling ferrets. Or, they were wrestling. Now, one has decided that the dominance over the food bowl isn't as important as his need of a drink, hence his presence at the water dispenser. However, the other ferret looks forlorn without his fighting partner and soon attacks the thirsty one playfully. The fight continues on with rejuvenated vigor, only over water instead of food.

Riku isn't convinced of their 'obvious' cuteness. Sora notices his companion's skeptics, and continues almost whiningly, "Please, Riku?" the brunette asks, grabbing Riku's hand sweetly and intertwining their fingers easily. "I'll feed them, clean them, take care of them; you won't even notice they exist!"

"Yeah, until they smell. I've heard these things have a rather unique one that isn't attractive to most normal people, _Sora._" Riku retorts even as his resistance starts to slip. Sora knows his boyfriend's weaknesses, much to the dismay of the silverette. If only he hadn't taken his hand…

Still, Riku had a point in his retort, and Sora doesn't know what to respond with. So, he implores instead. "Oh, _please,_ Riku?" The brunette puts on the cutest face he can possibly create and waits until older male looks. When the poor whipped silverette barely glances, the war is already lost; he can't say no to that face.

Riku sighs in frustrated defeat, but the brunette knows who's won. He grins triumphantly and fist-pumps the air with an enthusiastic, "Yes!"

But what Sora doesn't know is that he'll be properly paying for it later.


	2. Motorcycles

_~Motorcycles~_

The most important object in Riku's life has to be his motorcycle. Flaming red, sleek, fast, and thrilling, this deity of a vehicle can't be defeated. The silverette protects it like its worth someone's soul and cherishes it like such as well. He may ride it everywhere- even to school- but not a scratch can be found on the sleek exterior of the revered transportation bike. He repairs it himself whenever the slightest thing sounds wrong; he's even developed a reputation of being the best mechanic on Destiny Islands from his handiwork, learned from having to fix his cherished possession. He won't let anyone, may I repeat, _anyone, _touch it.

And that is why people were quite shocked when Riku came to school with someone gripping his waist for dear life on his motorcycle behind him.

With a loud roar, Riku thrashes through the school parking lot entrance in all his bad-ass glory. If the engine weren't so loud, you'd hear a certain spiky-haired brunette squeak behind the venerated sex-god. When the engine cuts off, there's an irregular quiet among the student within the lot. They are all staring at the bike, owner, and …whoever is on the bike with him. Then, they hear something possibly even more disturbing; an outraged voice exclaims from behind the senior, "Riku! Were you trying to kill me? That was terrifying!"

How dare this kid talk back to _Riku _this way? Who would have the balls to even go against Riku, who despite his non-bulky appearance can take down all the guys in high school? But things just get stranger for the poor stressed students of Destiny High. Riku doesn't even glare at the kid; he chuckles good-naturedly and replies, "_But_ it gave you a thrill."

Sora takes off his helmet to reveal a blushing face; it's hard to tell whether he's embarrassed or just thrilled from the ride, like Riku said. It must be a combination of both because the lanky boy grumbles in reply as he clumsily gets off the bike. Riku smirks at him, his jade eyes alight with amusement. Nonetheless, the sexy silverette helps Sora stand up straight and steady.

"I don't need help, Riku. I'm not some chick." Sora grumbles moodily.

Riku tsks the brunette, "Not only was that sexist, but ungrateful. Is that how you treat your superiors?" Usually, when Riku said this kind of statement he would have a venomous tone to it and murder in his eyes, but for Sora there was nothing but a smile and a playful tongue. It's quite baffling to the students that don't understand the truth. His fan girls see it, but refuse to acknowledge it. It has to be a coincidence that Riku doesn't date, right? He's just dedicated to school; surely that's logical? The more reasonable high school students must know by now, though, that their prince charming probably isn't willing to charm their certain… gender, if you catch my drift.

But what else can you expect from a man who obsesses over his motorcycle like he does, and then let the cute _Sora _ride it?

We didn't learn to add two and two together in kindergarten for nothing.


	3. Michael Jackson

_~Michael Jackson~_

"…I'm starting with the man in the mirror, oh yeah. I'm asking if he can chaaaange his ways…" The familiar melody and lyrics faintly resound in Sora's ears outside the bathroom door. His hair bobs happily as the brunette giggles, suddenly urged closer to the door to hear better. He wouldn't miss this for the world.

Yes, Riku is singing in the shower. To Sora, there's nothing more sexy, entrancing, and yet _hilarious._ Riku's voice is husky and low which is enough to make Sora's pants a little tighter than they should be, but the fact that he's singing _Michael Jackson _cracks him up. This never would've happened, though, if Sora weren't a loyal fan to the recently deceased King of Pop. Sora had always listened to Michael Jackson with passion no one could match, despite the rumors that circulated about him.

Riku couldn't careless about the rumors, but he still couldn't stand the music. Too happy, he said. Too high-pitched, he objected. _Not anymore! _Sora thinks elatedly. Sora must've played Michael's CD's SO MUCH that now Riku can't get the catchy lines out of his head. Sora suddenly feels like he's made Riku 'come over to the dark side' or something, although the prize must be better than the acclaimed cookies that supposedly go with the conversion. This gives Sora a horribly great idea.

The water turns off from inside the bathroom and Riku's voice quiets; his shower is done. Knowing Riku, Sora casually leans against the wall near the door smirking knowing he will emerge any moment now.

Sora knows all. As expected, the door opens to reveal a wet silverette in only a towel. To say he was surprised by the delicious imagery would be an understatement. The wide-eyed brunette inwardly worships the older male's body and wills his frenetic heart to calm down, although all attempts are made in vain; perhaps he should've previously forecasted this brilliant 'weather' but all of Riku's naked glory has severely caught him off-gaurd. Suddenly, he can't recollect what he was going to say to Riku. Damn that body of his…

"Is there any reason you are standing outside my bathroom door?" asks Riku. His wet hair slips back past his shoulders in a way that instantly forces some obscene memories to bubble upon the surface of the younger's mind. Sora has to wonder if he's doing this on purpose.

"Your singing is sexy." Sora replies seductively; blame the sudden change of tone to the wet, silver hair and the memories that accompany them. The current Riku's eyes widen, and a once-in-a-lifetime blush creeps onto his cheeks. The sight of Riku, the God of Cool, blushing brings the amused Sora back with a snap. Recovered, he continues, "I didn't know you could make Michael Jackson sound so… seductive." This time, his tone is full of tease.

Riku glares at the saucy brunette. "It's your damn fault I'm singing that weirdo's songs," he accuses defensively. He tries to brush past Sora and walk down the hall to his bedroom, but Sora stops him with a firm blockade.

Sora smirks. "But you still were singin' it!" he taunts up into Riku's face. They are tantalizingly close; Sora did this knowingly this time, relishing the chance he has to grasp the upper hand.

But Riku is too pissed off to fall for the trap; he pushes Sora away lightly and successfully walks around him, still blushing slightly. However, Sora isn't going to let Riku go that easily; he pounces the other boy, knocking him down with a loud 'thunk!' Within moments, the poor silverette is pinned. The white towel falls from Riku's waist during the sudden attack; Sora desperately tries to keep his sanity and ignore it. Nonetheless, he becomes aware that he really needs a bigger pair of jeans…. Or have them removed entirely. Somehow he really likes the second option better.

Sora ignores these urges and says, "Say it; you like Michael Jackson now."

Riku grits his teeth. "No."

"You know you want to say it…" Sora leans down absurdly close to the emerald-eyed male again. Being naked like this, Riku can't deny Sora's turning him on… but did the mischievous brunette seriously have to taunt him like this? Unfortunately for him, the answer is yes.

"So what if I do?" Riku asks looking severely annoyed, but there are obvious traces of want in his eyes (and other areas).

"If you admit it, you won't regret it." Sora says this with a very suggestive look in his eyes.

Riku can't resist that _look_. "Alright, alright. You win."

"No, you have to say it," he says sternly. When did Sora become so picky and demanding?

Riku sighs exasperatedly, but nonetheless replies, "Michael Jackson's music isn't bad."

Deciding that's as good as a confession he will ever get, he replies, "Damn straight," and then crashes his lips to Riku's.

_You've been hit by, you've been struck by, a smooth criminal._


	4. Scents

_~Scents~_

Sora has always seen his life categorized in different sections. Each of these eras have a different feeling to them, but what _really_ defines them are their scents. For instance, the time before Sora left Destiny Islands to become the Keyblade master was a harlequin, youthful time. Now, whenever he smells the specific scent of _summer_ he's reminded of those lazy days. Those couple days before the Heartless came were laced with the scent of a summer lightening storm; he couldn't understand why, but he just _felt _change was on its way. He just _knew_ it would arrive like a twister, destroying everything he knew to be normal.

But did he act on any of these feelings? No, of course not. How could he? He just assumed he was paranoid. At the time, he, Kairi, and Riku were building the raft to take them away from their confined island… He personally didn't care about leaving; he just loved spending time with his best friends. Riku was the one that really wanted to leave…

Then after the storm that swept all normalness away, a new era came to make the spiky-haired brunette stand strong. Soon after landing in Traverse Town, he met Donald, Goofy, Leon, and Yuffie. They were the ones that informed him of the outlandish 'spread of darkness' and how 'the keyblade chooses its wielder'. They told him how he was destined for something great, that he was the hero. How could Sora, a kid, solve the Heartless problem? That's what he and the other's asked. But still, young Sora was whisked away with Donald and Goofy to a year long ride. It had its intense downs, but it was also the most magical year of his life, for obvious and veiled reasons. He met so many new people, saw so many new places, and learned so many new things. He even defeated the heartless army, or so he thought.

The scent that defines this time is so complex, it's hard to describe. It's a combination of all the scents of the different worlds he's been too. There's the smell of darkness, the smell of battle and sweat, of the dimly lit alleyways of Traverse Town, the smell of the Queen of Heart's rosy perfume from Wonderland, the desert smell of Agrabah, the smell of the murky seas in Neverland…. Whenever he smells any of these scents, the feeling of adventure comes rushing back. The feeling that he must find Kairi and Riku comes rushing back, along with the loneliness and sadness. The happiness of meeting new friends and helping those helps him turn the sadness into bittersweet moments. He wouldn't trade that time for the world- or worlds.

After that, he thought the fight was over. All he knows is that he was led to a castle after that, but memory of that castle is gone. Somehow, he ended up sleeping for a year. A _year _of his life is completely gone. The scent that reminds him of the endless sleep has got to be a silent night's breeze. The cool, empty air makes all the questions come back. What's Castle Oblivion? Why was he there? Why did he wake up to find it to be a year later? How did he get to Twilight Town, the town that smells of summer and regret? Those questions were never really answered.

So it's a year later; Sora is sixteen, and thrown into yet another war. Now, there are things called Nobodies that plan to reconstruct Kingdom Hearts and use it for them to attain hearts of their own. Or, something like that. Yet another adventure commenced, and he was reunited with old friends and made new ones; the new ones were worlds that had been lost in Darkness at the time Heartless and Darkness were taking over. Sora was the one that brought them back, somehow. He defeated the enemy again too, just like last time. Organization 13 went down and finally, _finally, _he was returned a certain friend. Riku came back at this time; he didn't think he could ever be happier.

This time is like sea-salt ice cream, though as a fragrance. It was a time where there were always two sides of the story, though at the time he didn't know he had Roxas within him. So many different forces were aiding Sora in his task in ways he still to this day doesn't understand. He knows Riku, the _real _Ansem, and King Mickey was pulling strings, along with Axel and Namine despite them being Nobodys themselves.

And so after Kingdom Heart's was set right again, he and Riku at last went home to Destiny Islands. It would be a lie if they said it was easy adjusting to ordinariness. It's not like they could just snap back to the 'summer' before everything was turned inside out and placed upside-down. Too much had changed in both the boys… but still, the change was done and they couldn't bring themselves to hate it; that would cause more pain than they could possibly stand, considering all the other pain they had to deal with. They eventually found solace in each other where no one else could reach, not even Kairi. Although the holes in their hearts still remain where it aches for their friends they can no longer see, life goes on. This last scent is on going, and Sora hopes it never goes away.

Riku's aroma fills Sora's life. Everything about him brings out the best in Sora and helps him even when times are rough. Now Riku is free from his darkness and is living life to the fullest, taking Sora along for the ride. Not that he minds, of course. Nothing could make him happier.

Speaking of Riku…. "What's wrong, Sora?" he asks worriedly, waving his hand in front of the brunette's face.

Sora snaps out of his reverie. He inhales that familiar scent of Riku, and smiles. Oh, there's absolutely nothing wrong. Still…

"Hey Riku, have you ever thought of life being divided into scents?"


	5. Sunflowers

_~Sunflowers~_

"What are you doing?" asks a familiar voice. I swivel around and curse my hair as it fans enthusiastically around my head.

Sora looks at me curiously as he walks across the back porch towards the stairs that opens up and overlooks the yard. That is where I am sitting with a decapitated sunflower in my lap, whose petals have been picked off meticulously. Why am I plucking off the yellow and brown flower's dignity? To save my own. The idea came from the kid's movie, Shrek. My little sister, Namine, loves Shrek almost as much as her stretch pad and crayons. Being about the age of 6 currently, she watches the movies she likes over and over again. There's no stopping her, so eventually I have all these certain favorites of hers memorized.

So, here I am, picking off sunflower petals because they are pretty like Sora, and they gravitate towards the sun like I to Sora. Fiona used this flower to decide whether she should reveal her secret to someone important to her, so why can't I? See, not all women are useless. Anyway, so far I am at 'tell him' which is a very nerve-wracking verdict considering the victim just walked out the back door.

"I am enjoying the scenery," I say sarcastically, gesturing dramatically to the messy backyard my family owns. Scattered toys from me and Namine are strewn across the dirt-and-grass patched yard. The only nice thing about the place is my mother's mini flower garden. However, the sunflowers are killing the others due to their eclipsing size and need of more nutrients from the soil. Unfortunately, the other flowers never really stood a chance against these sun-hogs.

Sora snorts and sits next to my on the stop stair. "More like destroying the scenery. Mom won't like that you've been destroying her flowers."

My heart glows a bit at the fact that the lanky chocolate-color haired boy refers to my mom as his, even though he of course has his own at his home. Generally, we live at each others houses and both of our mothers swear they don't know which child came out of which womb anymore.

Returning to the situation at hand, I realize the happy-go-lucky brunette is right. "Ah..." I sigh regretfully, "But the sunflower is dying a noble death."

"Why are you killing it anyway?" he laughs and I can't help but stare. He is nothing short of radiant when he smiles and laughs; the way he shakes his head in playful disapproval forces his hair to dance entrancingly. Its times like these I just want to glomp him down and kiss him senseless.

And that's why I have the sunflower so it can decide for me. But I can't tell him that. "I uhm… had to decide what I wanted for dinner."

"Riku! That's a stupid reason!" he exclaims but laughs again nonetheless.

I take a deep breath because I stopped breathing when the cherubic child laughed again and reply cheekily, "It's a stupid reason to the sunflower but a perfectly good reason to me."

Sora opens his mouth to make a retort but then suddenly my mom calls for dinner. "Sora, dear, are you staying for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah! My mom said it was alright!" Sora replies with a big grin.

"Alright!" I exclaim. The both of us jump up, and I discard the flower, running after Sora into the house for dinner. I instantly forget the sunflower and my previous dilemma because I will always, like the sunflower, gravitate towards my sun, my light.

And when I'm with him, no other thoughts seem to matter anymore.


	6. Mondays, eh?

_~Mondays~_

Irony is a great part of life. Usually, Sora is a big ball of endless sunshine, smiles, flowers and anything remotely happy.

But not on Monday.

Today, March 29th, is in fact a Monday. The afore mentioned spiky cinnamon-colored haired teen walks into the classroom with the biggest, angriest, most depressed, I-hate-the-world-and-all-who-inhabit-it, black cloud hovering over the _charming _boy's head. If I had any sense, I would leave the poor kid alone unless I wanted my ball sack ripped off and hung over the nearest door to serve as a memorial.

But… he's just too '_good' _to resist.

Once the ocean-eyed kitten sits down, I stride over innocently as possible. Before he can glare at me warningly, I sling my arm around the rabid demon's shoulders and say, "Mondays, eh?" and kiss him quickly.

Needless to say, I don't stick around long enough to figure out if the feral growl he replied with is a purr or sign of my early death.


	7. Only On Tuesdays

_~ Only on Tuesdays~_

The onslaught of homework makes me want to take a nap before I even glance at the problems on the page. This is because it's Tuesday; it's the start of the work week. Monday doesn't really count due to the millions of zombies that roam the halls and classrooms…but today is the horrid day where teachers decide drooling isn't a good enough excuse to be incoherent and useless.

My silver hair (yes, it's silver) gets into my eyes for the umpteenth time and I flip it away –insert unnoticed fan-girl sigh here. The effort of trying to look past my hair is so tiring; the algebra lying innocently on my desk tempts my inner lazy nature to just give up. It _is_ only _Tuesday_ after all…

My head falls on top of the quadratic equations with a final 'thump' and my droopy eyes lose their fight to stay open. But then, a delicious scent fills the air- its cinnamon, apples, cherry blossoms, lavender, citrus, soap- and I suddenly feel very much at ease. It registers that I _know _that scent, but it only adds to my drowsy musings and I start to drift off... Only a moment later (what's with the impeccable timing?), a binder drops painfully on my head, and I jerk up, coming face to face with a smirking angel.

I didn't know angels could have such devious looks on their faces.

But still, in my dazed and dizzy state, I don't protest when the spiky-haired brunette swoops down and steals my lips with his own. However, the electricity it sends throughout my body effectively wakes me up.

"What the hell? You never kiss me in school…" I grumble as a light pink blush paints my cheeks.

Sora giggles that adorable giggle of his and replies, "Only on Tuesdays!" and he walks to his desk smiling. The bell rings through the school, signifying the end of study period with (once again) flawless timing. For the rest of the day, I'm left wondering why Sora chose _Tuesday _to kiss me, and if he's going to do this _every _Tuesday.

One thing is for certain; I will never be inattentive on any Tuesday again.


	8. Happy Hump Day Wednesday

_~Happy Hump Day (Wednesday) ~_

"Happy Hump Day!" called out Wakka, laughing loudly. I can't help but laugh under my breath evilly; yes, it will be a happy hump day indeed, if all goes well.

Although 'Hump Day' signifies the middle of the week, at school it takes on a whole different meaning. I'm not sure it the teachers have caught on or not, but either way the antics go on.

I look for a head of silver hair in my ninth period classroom as I stride in, still smirking from Wakka's 'well-wishes'. See, he (nor anyone else) understands how I can use today to my advantage. I can't stand to have an uninteresting day and what better way is there to make it exciting by teasing my boyfriend about this certain day? Exactly; there _is_ no better way.

My beautiful jade-eyed lover is studiously completing his homework, oblivious to my mischievous presence. I quietly walk around to the side of the desk that will hide any abnormal activity from me. With this feat done flawlessly, I slowly lean over and… snatch his paper. Riku jolts up (probably causing serious whiplash; sorry, Riku) surprised while I turn the paper over. Before he can get a grip of his senses, I whisper in his ear "Happy Hump Day." Then I nip his ear suggestively and successfully tug a shimmering lock of his hair and thrust into the side of his thigh lightly.

My devious plan has been accomplished in record time; the bell rings just then, and I walk calmly to my seat. When I glance back at Riku, I meet an intense glare but underneath the brief anger is want and the need for a very nice revenge.

Yes, it's going to be a very happy hump day when I get home.


	9. Braids

_~Braids~_

When you have long hair, it gets tiresome to deal with. Especially when you are a boy. Riku just happens to be that kind of boy. He's always had his hair long because a certain best friend of his, even when they were four and five, told him that he likes Riku's hair long. So he just let it grow and bathed in the eternal sunshine of Sora's compliments.

Today was no exception. "Gah, your hair is just so pretty!" says the brunette adoringly.

"What am I, your girlfriend?" Riku replies, faking annoyance.

Sora smirks, "Maybe." Immediately, Riku pounces the younger male and pins him down.

"What was that, So~ra?" he growls, glaring at the blue-eyed wonder. The truth of this situation is, is that the silverette is just using any excuse he can to touch the sunny teen. But shh, that's a secret.

"Uh…erm… heh…" Sora doesn't know how to get himself out of this one; he fully buys Riku's fake anger. If he says anything to contradict his last statement, Riku will accuse him of being a suck-up and punish him. Considering he's pretty sore already, he doesn't want that. But if he repeats what he actually said, he will probably receive the same punishment as the other option. Although… he is pretty tempted to push the emerald-eyed teen's buttons… Ah, if only he had refrained from seducing Riku last night.

Then the light bulb in Sora's head suddenly switches on. "Do you want me to braid your hair?"

Just as expect, the silverette stops. Yes, having your hair braided is rather girly and both males know it but the way _Sora _does it makes all the difference. Not only does it take care of Riku's rebellious, long, tangled, hair for the day, but it's also a chance for a most relaxing twenty minutes anyone could ever endure. Sora's fingers are gentle and soft; no matter what condition your hair is in, he can slip his fingers through the worst of tangles with ease. No pain befalls the patient. When they were younger, a lot of the kids on the island thought Riku was a girl because of the braids. Once his sex was revealed the braids stopped appearing in public but Riku never fully stopped receiving them. So, the moral of this paragraph is that he would know of Sora's scalp therapy.

And quite frankly, it's too good to resist. "Ok." He says and gets off the brunette. The hairdresser chuckles; it works every time. While Riku makes his way over to the window sill in Sora's jungle gym of a room, Sora heads to the bathroom. He grabs a couple hair bands and a brush, just in case. Then he quickly returns to his room and joins a now shirtless Riku at the window sill.

It's tradition for Riku to take off his shirt when receiving his braid. That way Sora can make sure he gets every strand of silver hair into the braid (which is actually not the easiest thing to do) but it still takes his breath away no matter how many times he sees it. But he contains himself and sits cross-legged behind the older male, whose leaning closer to his propped up knees and letting his arms rest on them casually. For such a masculine teen, having a braid is something almost laughable; maybe that's why he only wears them within the confines of his house and sometimes only in his room. Sora actually likes it better that way though. The secrecy makes it more sacred.

And so Sora starts in silence, trying his best to concentrate on his lover's hair, not the contours of his back. He decides to go with a regular braid this time, instead of a French braid. Fingers slip through silver tangles with ease starting at the scalp and ending all the way down to the tips of his hair. Riku is relaxed within mere minutes as Sora works quietly. This is perhaps the only time both of them are silent, but neither of them mind. In fact, both of them enjoy it. It's their tranquility between their endless antics of childish fights and larger-than-life joyful times. You have to have some middle ground.

After about twenty minutes (Sora takes his time braiding whenever he does), Sora finally finishes. The rubber band keeping the braid interlocked wraps around the silver strands with a 'snap' and Sora sighs. He leans over to Riku, and kisses the crook of his neck lightly as his way of telling him the braid is finished.

"Thanks." says Riku. Then the silverette turns around and kisses his brunette lovingly. Sora kisses back while savoring the erotic flavor of the jade-eyed man, but they pull away slowly soon after.

Riku closes his eyes, and leans into the window. "I love you, Sora." He says quietly. Sora's expression softens. Even though his eyes were closed, he knew that Riku was being one hundred percent honest. Sora shifts his position and eventually leans into his lover, closing his eyes as well.

"I know."


	10. Lack Of Inspiration

_~Lack Of Inspiration~_

Riku sat at his computer desk, just waiting for inspiration to come. Well, that was only a half truth. See, he _had _the inspiration but absolutely no clue where to start on any of his ideas. He had that urge to write that wouldn't stop poking the outskirts of his mind. It was driving him mad, but it seemed like everything that happened today after school was preventing him from just relaxing.

The platinum haired teen sighed while fixing his fringe. It's a habit of his to do that when he needs a moments pause to think. He had already learned recently that listening to music kills his inspiration so the only thing he hears is family noise, which is probably canceling out the lack-of-music plan. As usual, his little sisters are spouting some form of nonsense that results in them bickering loudly but Riku does nothing about it. That sounds really cruel, but the girls don't listen to him when he tries to intervene anyway so he gave up a rather long time ago.

Maybe the reason he couldn't write today was because there was simply too much going through his mind. He leaned back in his chair and opened a plastic bottle of Lipton tea. He wasn't sure why today was so off, though he chose to blame the annoying people that decided to bother him today. Usually, he's one hundred percent willing to talk to anyone even if he doesn't really connect with them other than a superficial basis, but today someone upstairs decided to send him some of the worst people. Some perverted girl kept asking him about his masturbation schedule; he can't stand those types of people. Why exactly does this chick want to know about his masturbation schedule, out of all things? Then an old friend of his tried talking to him but it's hard to make anything but small talk due to the fact the friend's been really close with one of Riku's enemies. Someone who he hasn't talked to since Junior High also decided to speak with him, but thankfully he wasn't as bad.

Ah, now someone wants help with homework. Good thing Riku strives to be a good person, because otherwise…

Anyway, still the great lightening strike he needed for an idea to write hasn't come yet. It's really frustrating because he doesn't want to over-think the things that have been popping up in his brain. For instance, he would like to ignore, or at least write-off somehow, the attractions he has been feeling towards his best friend who just happens to be the same sex as him. For someone who never dreamed of being bi-sexual or gay, these thoughts are rather disturbing. Don't get him wrong though, he's not homophobic in any way, shape, or form; in fact, he's written a lot of stories about gay couples. Though, that doesn't help him win his inward battles at all.

Not only that, today he had one of those days where the past just bothered him like an annoying gray cloud hovering over his head. He didn't have days like this often anymore but he somehow couldn't shake it today. He has always tried to be strong and true to himself but sometimes the efforts aren't enough. But still, the reason he's made it this far is because of the experience he had to go through with the heartless and nobodies. He has always learned things the hard way. It's truly ironic because for the longest time, he saw himself above his best friend Sora. Now it's Riku who looks up to the younger youth, and Riku won't deny that one bit. Sora fought his battles and came out stronger than Riku ever thought imaginable and for that he was proud of the brunette.

The only problem is _now _Riku doesn't know how to catch up. They are best friends but Riku still falls where Sora can smile on no matter what is said and done. Because of that, even if Riku _does _have weird feelings for the younger male, they will be locked up and never acted upon for one very obvious reason… Riku does not _deserve _Sora. Sora deserves someone who bathes in the light like himself. True, Riku is in the light now, but once you step in darkness you're never the same again. Sora deserves that eternal sunshine Riku can't offer.

Anyway, Sora is happy with Kairi right now. Sure, they might not last forever, but she makes him happy and that's all that matters right now. To be honest, Riku doesn't have much to do with the girl, but she knows she's being good to Sora by the way he talks about her. Riku will definitely not screw that up for them, and he will definitely not risk their friendship over emotions he isn't even sure are truly there.

And then Riku suddenly realized that he'd been thinking about what he didn't _want_ to think about for the last 30 minutes. His head often betrays his heart in this way, and he sighed again while staring at the computer screen blankly. He decided there was not going to be any revelation of genius writing, so he finally gave into the truth.

Suddenly, the door bell rang with impeccable timing. "Open up, Riku!" called the familiar voice of Sora. Well, at least he might get some inspiration after the brunette left… He tried desperately to smother the little swoop of hope forming in his chest. But the silverette was regrettably unsuccessful... but who can blame him when his source of inspiration was always the brunette anyway?


	11. Decided

Decided

When Sora and Riku escaped from Destiny Island High School, they realized something drastically important… They need to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives. Even more important, how are they going to make sure they spend their lives _together?_ Neither of the boys thought they would live past their experience with Kingdom Hearts and so being confronted with something like this was almost mortifying.

But still, the transition had to be made, along with decisions. Surprisingly enough, when they talked to each other about what they wanted to do, their favorite choice had a general similarity. They both wanted to learn music. They had different talents and preferences (like band, choir, and orchestra) but they both really wanted to conduct and compose music. Thus it was decided; they went to college, their major being music and their minor being teaching. Neither of them thought they would have to use their minor, but it was good to have it to back up their music degree. Or at least, that's what everyone else was doing.

Once the two young men got out of college, they set off into the work field. Riku started a violin tutoring business, which soon became known and active. Sora, on the other hand, was having trouble using his talents. Even though Sora's voice was absolutely gorgeous and had the ability to bring people to tears, it definitely wasn't easy to get known. He got some odd jobs here and there, but Riku was the one who really put the food on the table. Needless to say, this was pretty depressing to Sora, who wanted to provide too.

Riku noticed this. "Sora, don't worry about it. We have everything we need and everything under control!" He gave the lithe brunette a reassuring smile.

Sora wasn't convinced. They lived in a pretty rundown apartment in a dodgy part of town. They got by, and it wasn't that Sora was ungrateful, but he wanted better for them. Couldn't the world give the two Keyblade's Chosen a little break? Not only that, Sora was getting maybe just a bit lonely. Of course, he loved Riku but Sora had had so many friends in high school and college that he couldn't keep in touch with now. The only people he talked to was his parents, life-long friends like Tidus, Wakka, and Kairi, and then Riku. The only person he saw out of that list is Riku. For a social butterfly like Sora, this isolation was death row.

"Yeah, but… I don't know. I just want more for us." Sora replied helplessly, not exactly sure how to explain or say how he's feeling and thinking.

"Like what?" the silverette replied, genuinely concerned for the younger.

"A nice apartment, a nice neighborhood, and some friends to talk to. I'm not saying this place and situation is horrible… I just feel kind of… confined, I guess?" Sora looked down to his lap where his arms rested upon. He hoped his words wouldn't hurt his lover because it wasn't his intention to offend him, but it was just how he felt. Sora wants to settle, but not here.

Riku sighed, and Sora inwardly winced. Ah, he should've known this would hurt the jade-eyed men… He should've just kept his mouth shut…. But then suddenly two strong, pale arms wrap around him, and a familiar face nuzzles his shoulder.

"You should've said something sooner. We can figure this out; just give it time, ok?" the husky voice whispers. A shiver involuntarily rides down his back, and the brunette nods in assent. Of course he could give it time; anything for Riku. He's just relieved the silverette understood and was taking him seriously. Now he knows everything will work out fine with just a little time, like Riku said. After being with his silverette for 6 years or so now, he's been taught to have faith and trust in him.

Sora felt Riku smile into the crook of his neck, and a moment later he kissed it before swiftly leaving the brunette in his seat and sat across from him.

"So, any ideas on what we could do?" Riku asked, his usual triumphant smile tacked into place.

Sora smirked back; he had hoped Riku would ask, because Sora actually _does _have an idea. "I have a couple… but I'm sure you won't like them." he told his lover, giving him a side-glance. Riku's breath catches; whenever Sora looks at him like that, the man's heart just melts.

"Oh really now? Why don't you let me decide that?" retorted Riku despite his melted insides.

Sora smiled sheepishly; he really wouldn't like this idea, he could swear to God. But his idea had to be said. "Well… I could always apply to become a teacher."

Sora watched Riku's reaction closely, and could've sworn he saw the Jade eye's staring at him twitch. Sora fought his urge to laugh desperately, but his attempts fail. Soon his giggles spilled out of his mouth and Riku returned the gesture with a glare.

"What?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I knew you wouldn't like the idea!" Sora laughed out.

Riku muttered after this, "Kids never got along with me…"

Sora looked at the silverette questioningly. "Why does that matter? It's not like you'd be dealing with the little munchkins."

It's Riku's turn to look at Sora questioningly. "Wherever you go, I go, Sora. If you want to be a teacher, I will be too." he replied swiftly. Their eyes never left each others, but Sora's brow knitted together.

"Riku… You don't have to do that. You have a good tutoring business going… You don't have to stop just to follow me."

"But I want to." Riku replied simply. "…Unless you don't want me to." He added carefully, finally looking away from the brunette insecurely.

Sora almost smiled at this; surely after so long Riku should know that Sora would love to be as close to Riku as long as possible? Yet, Sora can't help but like the insecurity just a little bit since it happens so rarely; it's an adorable shade of Riku. "Of course I want you to come with me." Sora finally responded, grinning glowingly. "I just don't want to bring you down, that's all."

Riku looked up, and placed his trademark smirk back in place. He leaned back mischievously in his chair and props his feet onto the table, placing his hands back behind his head in a cocky, relaxed pose. "Nah, I was getting tired of just teaching violin anyway. If we become teachers, we can actually use our majors and have an ensemble, right?"

Sora nodded, and added, "I think teaching will actually bring in more cash than what you're already getting, so it's pretty much a good thing all around."

"Then it's decided." The silverette got up now, and walked with purpose to the computer.

Sora smiled again, following his lover with his eyes: _Yes, it is decided; I am never, ever, leaving your side._

**A/N: I just now realized I haven't even put my own notes down. I just kept posting them and posting them without any other thought than the stories! Ha, sorry if that's a bit un-concerting. This chapter was mostly to help me out of my writers block (which is still there for the most part –sigh-) so it isn't the best. It's rather pointless, but hey it's fluff so that's a good thing right? Haha!! **

**R&R!! Please?:) **

**This disclaimer will cover this whole drabble series: I don't own Kingdom Hearts!! (I wish… gah..) **


	12. Impossible

_~Impossible~_

'_Someone told me I should take caution when it comes to love…_

_I did.' _–Impossible, Shontelle

"Despite what anyone saw, he was stronger. I could beat him physically, but when it came to the heart, I would've had to sprint to catch up. Then, I didn't think to even run after him. I figured I would easily take my place ahead of him, like always. Sometimes I never even noticed when his heart was displayed; I never noticed how it so clearly outshined mine.

That was my greatest mistake, my greatest illusion.

I was so careless. That night, when darkness rained down upon our quiet island, I thought you would follow me into the unknown. I thought you would take my hand but how could I expect someone's heart so pure to willingly taint themselves? He was swept away so effortlessly, and I knew already that he won.

I remember years ago someone told me I should take caution when it comes to love… I did. I wanted to shout it from the roof tops, write it on the skyline; all we had is gone now. I wanted to take it all back; tell them I was happy, and my heart is broken. All my scars opened; tell them what I hoped would be impossible.

I was so enraged, so hurt even when it was all my fault. I couldn't face it. Falling out of love is hard, but falling for betrayal is worst. I broke his trust and broke both our hearts; I know and I won't deny it now.

After the pain, and learning my mistakes I thought 'all you need is there', not with me. I didn't deserve to be with that fallen angel. I didn't deserve to face him as the shadow I was; so I worked behind the scenes where I belonged, making sure _nothing _touches you. When I did cross your path, I wore empty promises. I know when all is gone, there is nothing to say.

That didn't mean I ever stopped loving you. I can still shout it from the roof tops, write it on the skyline, love, even though all we had is gone now. I'll tell them I was happy, and my heart is broken; all my scars are open while you are with her. I know all what I hoped would be impossible.

I remember years ago someone told me I should take caution when it comes to love; I did. After all, who couldn't fall for you? Who couldn't see the halo hovering over your silhouette even in the darkest room? You are light, and I remain the darkness. I will never fall out of love for you, despite how unrequited it will always be. Why? Because you are worth it."

"Oh, Riku…" Sora whispered aloud, tears pouring relentlessly out of his sea- blue eyes and onto the scribbled-on worn looking piece of paper. "I only shined for you. I faced the army of Heartless and Nobodies to bring you back, to get _you _back. Nothing was... _is… _impossible for us."


	13. OCD 1 The Pantry

OCD #1 - Pantry

"Sora, what are you doing!?" I ask, shocked at my best friends current position. Out of all the weird kinks this kid has, I swear this has got to top it all. He's surrounded by cans, boxes of hamburger helper, cereal, and whatever his mom decided to place in his pantry. Glancing towards the open pantry door, I learn that my deranged best friend has actually emptied the whole thing. The lithe brunette is-or was, until I came in- organizing the different items, or at least that's what it appears to be. Green bean cans are in their certain corner, far away from the tuna cans _'for they cannot be touching'_. Yep, that's exactly what he would say. Then the cereal boxes are in the opposite corner to the cans… I get kind of wary just looking at the order of everything. _Only Sora…_

"Uhm… organizing the pantry." he replies innocently.

I raise my eyebrows. "Why, exactly, are you doing this?"

"They…were all over the place... I had to put them in order. They couldn't very well _stay _there like that, could they?" he asks as if the pantry being out of order could possibly cause the apocalypse. In his mind, it probably could. I resist laughing as Sora dives back into his carefully arranged mess of cans.

I stand in my place and look on, with my face comported into a curious expression with my arms crossed. After a couple moments of silence, I sigh and realize that Sora won't leave the kitchen till the pantry is properly… assembled. Considering there are no other options at this point, I decide to join him. Getting down onto my knees, I respond belatedly answer his rhetorical question from before, "I guess not. Here, let me help."

He positively beams at me, and replies, "Thanks Riku!" If it weren't for that adorable smile, I swear, I would tease him for being OCD.


	14. 11:11

_~11:11~_

"Hey Riku!"

"What, Sora? I'm trying to do algebra here."

"That can wait. It's 11:11, so make a wish!"

"Nah, I'll pass. Last time I wished on a star, it went out right after I wished on it… and what I wished for never happened."

"Aw, this is different. Maybe it'll work this time then, Riku!"

"Haha, and why is that?"

"Because I'm here, duh."

"What should I wish for then, oh almighty wish-overlord Sora?"

"What you want most, of course! Hurry before the clock changes!"

"…."

"So what did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you, or it won't come true."

"Aww, come on Riku! I'm your best friend; we can tell each other these things."

"Well, I can show you what I wished for…"

"What do you mean by tha- mmng!"

What Riku learned from his last star-wish was that to get what he wants he has to work for it, instead of standing by and waiting for it to come to him.


	15. OCD 2 Tight Shoes

_~OCD 2 – Tight Shoes~_

"Sora, we're going to be late." I say to my brunette companion, who is taking an unnervingly long time to tie his shoes.

Why? Because… "I know, Riku, I'm sorry, but my shoes have to be tight enough!"

I laugh, "What do you mean by that? Come on, they are just shoes." I shake my head at the kneeling keyblade master, causing my silver hair dance slightly.

"No, you don't understand. They have to be equally tight." he responds, looking very concentrated on his laces.

"May I ask why?" I ask, genuinely curious, and resisting the urge to face-palm.

"They just…do!" I smirk at his frustrated sounding voice. Who knew all it took was a pair of shoes to get this little 'angel' so riled up?

"Hey, Sora…" I say, sighing. It's time to tell him the truth…

"What?" he asks, glaring up at me curiously.

I chuckle. "Never mind, hun, just go back to fixing your shoes."

"Alright whatever…." he growls towards his shoes.

I still can't bring myself to tell him he's OCD.

**A/N: **These last two have been so short because… well, I just want them to be. They are cute like that XD

Comments? Please? Any ideas you would like to request? :) I'm open! XD


	16. Caught

**A/N: This is me editing caught, so if you've already read it, sorry! DX This one isn't new, just improved XD**

_~Caught~_

Ah, I'm finally home. I'm a bit of an over-achiever when it comes to school, so I'm pretty damn tired from getting all A's in that hell-hole I have to go to probably 200 or so days out of my precious year. It's Thursday, to make things worse, and I'm just ready for the weekend… and some allergy medicine; my nose is killing me. I prefer being able to breathe through my nose, thanks.

Within mere minutes inside my home, I have turned on the computer, already forgetting about my nose's pleas for nasal relief. It's oh-so-comforting to hear the hum of the old Dell; it's my not-so-secret addiction, the computer is. Who can resist this machine of pure awesomeness? You can do practically anything with these hard drives (yes, I went there) and sexy speakers. Speaking of speakers, that's what I am using this long day; I seriously need some music. Can you tell I'm just a bit out of it? I blame all the horrible projects my teachers have decided to assault and anal rape me with.

Speaking of anal rape, I think I'll listen to Fer Sure, by the Medric Droid. I highly discourage you from listening to this song… it'll give you cancer. Just know that it is a horribly catchy song about slutty sex with stiletto's and the back seats of cars. That's the only thing you need to know. Before you pull my hair (or some other form of cruel and unusual punishment) because of this absolutely vulgar song, know that I don't usually listen to this kind of music. I just really need something that will take out my pent up teenage aggression and de-stress me. Singing always helps, but don't tell anybody. I generally only sing when I am alone, a habit I don't plan on changing anytime soon. Or ever.

So this is my general schedule for the after-school period of my day; I come home and turn on some music while getting out homework, pulling up Facebook and MySpace, texting, and getting something to drink (I walk home… so unbearably hot in the summer. Oh wait, it's ALWAYS summer here!). I think I should get an award for my multi-tasking skills. Yes, I led a bit of a low-life existence, but when have I ever been a social butterfly? That's my best friend's job.

Speaking of that fluffy, lovable, ball of happiness, he's the only one who really takes me out of my little world wide web. Sure, I have plenty of friends, but Sora is the only one I would probably give up my computer for. Hell, I'd die for the kid, but don't tell him I said that. He'd get that really adorable soft expression (because he can just _do that _and still be considered a straight male, much to my displeasure) and then I'd have to inwardly battle my urges to kiss those plump pink lips. I swear, if those battles were reality, this island would have red sand from the blood baths.

I shall stop talking about him and continue singing now. I'm rather hungry, so while I belt out 'Kick off your stilettos, kick off your stilettos…' I decide to make a bowl of lucky charms, the God of all cereal. I pour the cereal in a good-sized bowl and then add the milk swiftly. The box of marshmallow orgasms and milk go back to their places in the pantry (that Sora has organized) and refrigerator, and I am _just about_ to get a spoon when…

My garage door opens. Which, by the way, is right by the refrigerator (don't blame me for the horrible layout of my home's kitchen) and across from me, where the drawer of utensils reside innocently.

Now here I am, in the middle of singing, and getting a spoon for my fucking cereal, when Sora of all people pokes his spiky-haired head into my house, completely unannounced.

Needless to say, I'm thoroughly caught off guard.

I swivel around, my eyes widening, and my jaw going slack as the last note I just sang fades out. This beautiful punk doesn't even give me a moment to recuperate before he exclaims laughingly, "Riku, what the hell are you doing?"

I retort back automatically before I flush pink, "What does it _look _like I'm doing, you stalker? I'm getting some fucking cereal!"

"That wasn't all what you were doing, though was it?" He smirks, glancing at my computer, which is a source of loud music. Loud, _vulgar_ music. If I were any more feminine, I would blush like a tomato, but I manage to pull off a pissed-off kind of blush to cover up my embarrassment.

"What, I can't sing?" I ask, glaring at the brunette with gravity-defying spikes.

"Actually, you can." He says sincerely, smiling. He somehow made his way into my house fully at some point, and is now sitting on the counter, next to my precious bowl of cereal. I must've been too preoccupied studying his eyes and face to notice. "It's pretty sexy."

"If I didn't know better, I would say you were hitting on me, Sora." I retort, hoping to make him blush. Anything to make the subject change away from my singing. Gees, what a dilemma. And all I wanted was to de-stress and have a bowl of cereal!

"And what if I was?" he says slyly, sliding off the counter in a seductive way. If my best friend didn't watch his teasing, he's going to have a problem in his hands. Literally.

Thinking about that turns me on a little, so I change thought directions immediately. Or at least, I try to.

"W-what?" is the unintelligent reply I give the surreptitious male. Well, at least I said something coherent, and it had nothing to do with me having my way with him on my kitchen table. I call that an accomplishment, children.

"You heard me." Now he's walking towards me like a cat stalking its prey. That metaphor is so cliché, but there really is no way to describe it. There are only two ways to explain why this is happening: I have fallen asleep in study hall, or simply have gone insane…er. I mean seriously, when would innocent, oblivious _Sora_ be the seme in our relationship, if there ever was one?

Things are so much easier to deal with when you no longer believe its reality. "So I did." I reply vaguely, trying to look indifferent. It's still not very witty, but I'm never on my top game around my best friend, Sora. Don't question why; the answer will give my non-existent fangirls a heart attack due to disappointment… and my fan-boys will bring me rainbow bracelets.

"Mm," he practically purrs. Next thing I know, his body is up against my side, and his head is resting on my shoulder. He looks up at me innocently, though there's a certain devilish glint in my eye that makes me want to gulp nervously.

I think he knows his face is too cute to resist. No words are exchanged as our faces naturally lean in. My heart races as a horse would if its life depended on it, and I wonder 'is this really happening?' I can't bring myself to really confirm it to be reality, or non-reality. In fact, I'm really not thinking much at all. It's only pure emotion, taking a more direct route than my train of thought which seems to have become rather nonexistent.

I feel his warm breath on my face, and I can't look away from his cerulean eyes that echo his free spirit, much like the ocean almost just outside my door. My hands are itching to hold him close, but settle to just barely rest upon the curve of his back and right above his hip. I could shake I'm so exhilarated and nervous…

Right before our lips meet, he barely whispers, "I caught you." Before I can even register what he said, his lips are upon mine, and electricity shocks my whole body.

Seconds pass, maybe minutes, before we pull away. My whole 'cool' demeanor is gone, and replaced with alarm and pure bliss. I break the silence unintentionally by muttering, "Did that just happen?"

"It did if you want it to." Sora almost sounds… nervous. Where did the confident sex-kitten Sora go? Suddenly, it clicks that this had been planned, that it _had _happened, and it wasn't a figment of my imagination.

Then it clicks that I need to reply to him. I chuckle softly and lay my head on his shoulder, breathing into the crook of his neck. Smiling, I say, "Nothing would make me happier." I feel as if a great weight has been lifting off my chest as these words tumble out of my mouth. I suddenly think that Sora took my guard and threw it out a window; I can barely control what I'm doing, like Sora took my heart and sewed it to my sleeve. Somehow I don't really mind.

"I can think of several things that would hopefully make you happier though." He says happily. I smirk a little, and lift my face up to his, greeting his eyes once more.

I chuckle, "You're right, I could think of a couple things too, though they all have to do with you." I still have no control over what I say. Why am I not angry about this? Oh yeah, because it's impossible to be angry at this angel before me.

"In that case, you better catch me." He says invitingly.

Smirking, I grip his hips a little tighter, and push him against the counter, almost like shoving someone against a wall, only softer and less painful because it's a counter. Still, I push myself up against him, and his breath catches satisfyingly.

I whisper, "Didn't expect that, did you?" All he can do is shake his head a bit though the sudden grip on the back of my shirt pulling me closer indicates that his shock isn't unwanted.

"Then I've caught you." I say proudly, smiling fully. There is no hesitance when I kiss him again, smiling a little bit still, unable to contain it. Though I realize I'll have to admit sometime later that I lied.

The only one who's caught is me.

**Epilogue: (**aka about ten minutes later)

"Sora! You totally made me forget about my cereal!" I exclaim, looking aghast at the soggy mesh that used to once be a beautiful bowl of lucky charms.

"Whoops!" he says in that mischievous way of his. Meaning, he doesn't care at all. If I had been watching him, he probably would've winked at me or something equally ridiculous.

Just the thought makes me want to glomp him and make him pay. I think I'll act on these impulses. "Sora… You are going to regret that!"

With a laugh, he takes off into my living room, and I chase after him, knowing full well he'll try to hide in a small space I can't reach somewhere in my room.

I sigh as I run after him, knowing that even after I lure him out of his spot and pin him to my bed, the only one whose 'it' in this weird game of tag is me. It's always been this way after all. Sora's always been the one I chased, and I've always been the one who got caught.

**A/n: I think that my best work generally occurs when I need to write but have nowhere to start. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. **

**Haha, this one's kinda long (it didn't start out that way… it just happened!) but oh well:) Comments are appreciated! Thank you to anyone who has, or has at least favorited this little series of oneshots… It means a bunch! **


	17. Sick

_~Sick~_

Warmth, but not too much. Soft blankets. A soothing breeze through gravity-defying spiky chocolate brown hair. Light, or from what I can tell through my closed eyelids. I will those eyelids to open and they slowly comply… Mm, it's a beautiful day, judging by the beautiful beach view outside my bedroom window that I'm facing. I turn over and look to my alarm clock languidly; its 10:31. As I become more alert, I smile and realize its Saturday. Sitting up, I sigh and stretch as I do so.

And then I bolt up, getting dressed as fast as I can in the black hole I call my room. I don't want to waste a moment! It is _Saturday_, meaning I can spend a whole day without worrying about a thing. I know exactly where I need to go, and who I need to be with. I think about this excitedly as I pick up random clothes strew across the floor and wrestle them on. I'm out of the house before my mom even knows I woke up, but I'm sure the slam of the front door tells her enough. After all, this is my Saturday routine anyway.

I run down the street at a sprint, not even winded by the short distance. I only slow down once I reach a light blue house with white trimmings, complimented by a nice, green yard, and a concrete walkway to the quaint little front porch. The sight is comforting, and I wonder what I'm going to be doing today with the only child in this certain house; movies? Beach? Video games? So many possibilities! Smilingly, I walk to the front door.

I can't help but laugh to find a note on the door already. It reads, "Sora, come in. ~2nd Mom." See, even his parents expect me. Happily obliging to the note, I open the door. The house is completely silent from within, meaning his parents are off on the mainland, either working or going out with friends today. I wonder if my mom will join them, and I realize she likely will. Awesome, full authority on both 'our' houses!

I practically skip to the stairs, ignoring the living room and kitchen entirely, figuring once I join (and wake up) my best friend, we'll go down together and enjoy breakfast. With my hands and feet, almost crawling but not, I scramble up the stairs, and jog when I get to the top down the hall to the second door on the right. This is where I stop and turn to stone as I press my ear to the door, checking for signs of life.

I'm not surprised when I hear none. See, my best friend is the kind of guy that can stay up till four A.M. and wake up twelve hours later. During the summer, I am his alarm clock, though he isn't _that_ difficult to wake. As soon as I open the door, depending on how tired he is, he'll sit up frantically, like someone is breaking in to steal. If he's tired, of course he'll remain in slumber, but even then all I have to do is tap the boy and his beautiful turquoise eyes snap open.

So, I twist the door knob as slowly and quietly as I can, trying my best not to scare the poor kid shitless. Although he seems like a stand-offish kind of guy, he's got some really interesting quirks that make him seem much more humane, like the way he wakes up. Trust me, you'd find it hard not to laugh too if you walk into your best friend's room, and instead of meeting a _normal_ kid reading or texting, you meet frantic eyes and a heaving chest, accompanied by a disastrous bed head, a ruffled shirt (or none…) and Winnie-the-Pooh boxers. He frankly looks like a hobo who has just seen The Grudge, or some other scary movie.

But when I open the door enough to peek in, I find neither an abruptly alert yet disheveled teenager nor an absolutely adorable passed-out one. Is this really what I'm seeing? Eyebrows furrowing and mouth frowning slightly, I push the door open and let myself into the neat room, closing the door silently behind me. Ignoring the layout of the room, I rush straight to Riku's side.

His long silver hair is as usual in great disarray, but his fringe is plastered to his forehead from sweat, yet he's gripping his grey-and-black comforter (which he sleeps with even in the hottest weather) tightly as if his life depends on it. His body is tense and quivering slightly while his face is slightly contorted as if in pain. To prove that things are even more unusual, his cheeks are painted pink.

I've known Riku for… well, all my life, and I have _never _seen him like this. Seriously worried, I nudge his shoulder and whisper, "Riku?"

In response I get a furious growl and he shuffles over onto his other side, turning his back to me. For a moment, I want to back away as if my best friend was some sort of ferocious animal but not only do I know Riku very well, but I'm also brave, and so I nudge his shoulder again a little harder. "Are you ok, Riku?"

This time I receive a little groan of pain followed by, "Go away… fucking hurts…"

"Are you sick?" I ask, undeterred by his crude language and rude refusal.

He stubbornly replies hoarsely, "No." I bite back my sarcastic comment "well aren't you mature" while doing my best not to snort at him, and instead reach over him to feel his forehead with the back of my palm. He doesn't protest to my touch this time, and within only a second of touching do I _feel _how sick he is.

Alarmed, I pull back my hand, all sarcasm replaced by concern. "I'll be right back, ok? I'm going to get some Tylenol, water, and an icepack."

"Ughnfuck." is the intelligent way he groans back. I leave the room quickly and quietly after that and fulfill my promise. Thank god that I've been here enough to know where everything is, because I highly doubt my silverette can even stand at the moment.

I return to him about a minute later. He's changed positions again, lying on his stomach with his face into the pillow, the perfect image of the words 'kill me now'. I place the Tylenol bottle on his nightstand, along with the glass of water and ice pack I assured before I tell him softly, "Riku, I'm going to need you to turn onto your back and sit up so you can take some Tylenol."

I expect him to growl at me and refuse, saying that I "shouldn't talk to him as if he's eight or his girlfriend" and that he's "not going to fucking turn over", but he surprises me by complying with a small groan. Although relieving, this reaction almost makes me worry more because he must be in too much hurt to be arguing which is scary, considering his high tolerance for pain.

As he sits up slowly, he shivers, trying his best to keep his comforter around him. Groaning he pulls his fingers through his hair, muttering, "Hairband…" and I quickly respond, grabbing a black one off his nightstand and hand it to him. After rubbing his eyes, he takes it from my hands and haphazardly wraps his silver strands up in a way that would make him look like a motorcycle badass if he weren't currently a zombie. Then he looks at me with those startling turquoise eyes (probably in an expecting way) and I swear I stop breathing for a moment before I shake my head slightly to rid myself of sappy thoughts.

I hand him the glass of water to one hand, and give him two pills in the other. He makes both disappear (beside the glass cup) in the span of an eye blink. Before I know it, he's already turning away from me, trying to lie down. I stop him gently, and guide him into his back. I reply to his deadly glare with, "Ice pack." and he relents, sighing.

My work is finished once I place the frozen ice pack on my best friend's forehead. He hisses at the chilling thing, but doesn't remove it, knowing it's saving his overheated neurons from damage. I let him rest after that, turning on his Playstation2 to play Kingdom Hearts until he feels better. That's right, I'm not leaving him; I am a loyal friend, thank you very much.

I lose track of time once I start trying to defeat Oogie Boogie in Halloween Town but about an hour or so later, I hear Riku stir. Pausing the game, I turn around and ask, "Feeling any better?"

He sits up and moves his legs over the side of the bed. He still shivers slightly, but the flush is gone from his face and his movements are more fluid, meaning the pain has lessened or hopefully disappeared. Confirming my observations, he replies, "Yes. Still feel like shit, but it's not as bad." He pauses, but continues with, "Thank you, Sora."

I feel blood rushing to my face, but I urge the red blood cells back to where they belong as I stammer, "No problem…"

With a sigh, he lies back down and wraps the blankets around him again. "You can go if you want. I'm sure you have more fun things to do than sit around here…. I won't be up for awhile."

There is nothing unordinary in the way he says this, and although it's very considerate of him to let me go, I just _know _him well enough to pick up something else in his tone of voice. See, I know this 'cool', 'stand-offish' guy's weakness; he's a cuddler. Despite his habit to unintentionally push people away, he's one of those cliché people that just want a hug, especially when they are feeling horrible. Once you get to know him, you can pretty much do anything to him and he'll stay by your side no matter what because he's a damn good friend and loyal. He's like the plush teddy bear you slept with as a kid, only human and mine, so don't even try to steal him.

Smirking slightly while thinking about his teddy-bear disposition, I put the PS2 controller down and heave myself up. He looks at me with wide, curious eyes, but I say nothing as I kick off my shoes and socks and lift the covers slightly. I hop into the bed quickly so he doesn't get a big rush of cold air and snuggle up to the sick silverette, smiling up at him all the while.

He doesn't protest physically; he lifts his head and his arms wrap around me to hold me close almost mechanically (see, what did I tell you? He's a cuddler), but he still stutters, "B-but Sora, you'll get sick." A little blush rises from his cheeks.

I reply laughingly, "Well then, if I do get sick, you'll just have to take care of me!" This brings a small smile from my silverette, and he laughs a little, still melodic despite the hoarse tone.

"Got it," he says, resting his head on the pillow, his calm breath floating across my face soothingly. Only moments later, his eyes close and he begins his journey to sleep, and I join him, smiling again slightly.

I really wouldn't mind if Riku became sick more often.

**A/N: Reviews make me oober happy ;) Haha, Whatcha think? It made me laugh ^-^.**


	18. Razors

_~Razor~_

"Are you absolutely _sure _you're a boy?" Riku teases, trying his hardest to contain his laughter.

Sora huffs, glaring at the older boy. "Last time I checked, yes."

"Was that before or after the shower? I think it might've changed in the last thirty minutes or so." the silverette continues, giving the brunette a skeptical eye.

"It's not my fault, ok?"

"How is this _not _your fault? No one forced you!" By now, Riku's failing attempt at trying not to laugh and be serious expression would be considered comical if Sora weren't so flustered that his secret has been revealed by the last person he wanted to know about it.

"It's my mom's fault, got it? She's the one that _shaved _in front of me all the time, so I thought I should do it too! When you're seven, you don't know any better!" Sora's cheeks flush while he continues to glare at his companion while said silverette leans against a clear, white, un-poster-ed patch of wall in Sora's messy room.

Now, Riku is actually becoming more genuinely curious, and asks, "But once you 'learned better', why did you continue to shave then?" He gestures to the pink razor lying innocently on the brunette's pile of clothes on top of his disastrous dresser. Sora looks to the little thing with distress; why did he have to leave it _there? _He totally forgot to put it in the shower where it belonged, because it's a new one, and then Riku came over… Arg. Today must not be his day.

He sighs embarrassedly, "I… uhm, hate the way hair feels on my legs now. It's not something you can just…stop."

The silverette can tell when it's ok to laugh at his brunette and when it's not. Riku's gaze softens at the tomato-face gazing determinedly at the floor. Chuckling softly, he moves from his patch on Sora's wall and walks toward his lover, taking his hand. "Hey, it's fine. I really don't mind… In fact, I think it's rather adorable, not to mention sexy." Then he kisses the tip of the brunette's nose, still smiling in that love-struck way only the other male in the room can make him do.

Sora looks rather shocked, but recovers after a moment. A smirk takes over his facial features, and with an almost sadistic gleam in his eye, he kisses the silverette roughly, pushing him down onto his own bed before straddling him.

Before Riku can protest, or even recover from shock, Sora says, "But this doesn't change that I am, in fact, a guy, and therefore can **dominate. Over. You.**" With each of the last three staccato words he gets closer Riku's face, a silly smirk still intact on his face.

After a moment of silence, Riku smiles, an evil glint also shimmering in his eye. "Oh, we'll see about that, So~ra." he replies before attacking the brunette's lips with his own fiercely.

Frankly speaking, I don't think I've heard about a situation between a couple (or between any two people for that matter) that involved a razor that resulted in anything good… Until now.

**A/N: **Totally random idea that came to me one day XD Whatcha think?


	19. Dreamlessly

_~Dreamlessly~_

Why is there a cupcake box upon this turquoise table? White frosting and crayon-colored sprinkles with the mathematical Pi symbol in red icing in the middle. I think they are vanilla, but I can't smell them, nor taste them, even if my mouth waters for them.

A rumble in the distance emerges from a dark cloud angrily and cries out. A flash of white somewhere, followed by a loud cacophony, but I guess I don't see it. It must be behind the trees. Somehow, I'm looking at the cupcakes again. I hold the plastic clear container for the two cupcakes in it, and I feel the exterior shake from the cloud's fury.

And then it's pouring down rain. No, it's snowing, small little white frozen snowflakes falling to the ground everywhere. Only, the flakes aren't small anymore. They are large and pure white, but they hurt when they hit you because they are very firm and oval-shaped. A golden retriever runs by and catches one in his mouth like a Frisbee, but eats it, savoring the sugary taste as long as he can.

Why is it hailing sprinkles?

The world is spinning, and I'm afraid. My heart is racing; everything is white hot, but I'm ok with _that_. A dark, black knife emerges, emanating a thick purple fog. It's so familiar, and I'm terrified. I'm angry, but helpless as it destroys the white hotness, slashing it away till there's nothing but black, and then the knife closes in on me.

With a jolt, I awake from some twisted nightmare I must've had. My racing, pounding heartbeat says that much. But my eyes look over, curious at a source of heat beside me, touching me, and suddenly they catch the most stunning image ever seen. A light, warm feeling immediately joins my furious heartbeat, soothing all tension in my body and mind. My heart slows down as I pull my crazy brunette closer to me even though he's already in my arms, entangled with sheets and my limbs. Glancing to his peaceful, beautiful, angelic face, I inhale his scent like he's a sanctuary. Can one describe the aroma of purity and strength? Perhaps it's lavender and cotton because it's not candy-sweet, but nonetheless perfectly saccharine.

But I stop from my useless dreary contemplations with a yawn as I close my eyes, letting my senses feel only Sora. I fall asleep moments later, peacefully, _dreamlessly,_ awaiting the moment I can wake up to cerulean eyes and brilliant smiles.


	20. Order of Toothbrushes OCD 3

_~Order of Toothbrushes~_

"Come on, Sora!" yells Riku, knocking on the bathroom door loudly. "You've been in there for an hour;" '_Thank god it's not __your__ wedding but still...,'_ "We need to be at Kairi's wedding in thirty minutes!"

"Alright, alright! I'm almost done, gees…" Sora yells in reply.

With that problem out of the way, Riku turns around, set on finding his best friend's tux and his own. However, half-way down the hall to their bedroom, he realizes something. Turning around, he walks back and knocks on the door again. "Hey, can I come in? I need to brush my teeth."

"Sure, I don't mind."

With the acceptance, Riku opens the door quickly and steps in, closing the door behind him just as fast. He knows that Sora hates it when the warm humid air is let out of the room. Because of this, the mirror on the wall to his right above the sink is completely overcast by condensation. However, the silverette doesn't really mind. He's more preoccupied by the fact that he can't find his toothbrush, which is really odd considering he's always put it in the same place. Why would it be somewhere else and where has it gotten off to?

He checks the only place it could be: the white medical cabinet on the left to the mirror. He finds within the small space there Sora's and his cologne, shaving cream, hairbrushes, Riku's allergy medicine, toothpaste and lastly, five different colored toothbrushes. '_Ah, there it is,' _he thinks, snatching up the purple one.

He pauses for a moment, wondering why Sora would need 4 different toothbrushes. However, the urgency to be on time gets to his punctual nature, and he dismisses the thoughts, grabbing the toothpaste and closing the cabinet.

He barely starts brushing when the shower nozzle is turned off, a hand grabs a towel from outside the shower curtain, and the brunette emerges, the towel from earlier wrapped sexily around his lithe hips. Riku wishes he could take the towel _off _of him, but he knows there's no time, and if they are late they'll have a hefty price to pay.

Still, the silverette can't help but turn his head and scan the body of his lover. Sora pays him no heed as he grabs a smaller towel from the rack and dries off his hair violently though, until, taking two steps towards him, he inquires about something completely different than Riku's hungry stare. "Is that my toothbrush?"

With the toothbrush still in his mouth, he replies cluelessly, "Uh, no."

Sora analyzes Riku as he brushes his teeth before glaring slightly. "I'm almost 100% sure that _is_ mytoothbrush."

The silverette snorts. "Even if it _was _your toothbrush, you have four others in there."

"Ha! That proves it! That one is mine, because I have _five _toothbrushes. Why did you need mine, eh?" he exclaims proudly at being right.

"Er… well, I couldn't find mine, and I just found this one with the others and thought it was mine. What did you do with my toothbrush?"

"I didn't do anything to your toothbrush… it must've gotten misplaced or knocked down from the sink somehow." Sora replies defensively.

Riku rolls his eyes. "Obviously." He glances to the sink and the white cabinet contemplatively before asking, "Why do you need five toothbrushes anyway?"

Sora looks dumbstruck for a moment, obviously unsure how to answer this. But he still manages to stutter, "One for each day?"

"What?" is all Riku can manage to say. Sora continues blushing slightly, "Monday is purple, Tuesday is pink, Wednesday is green, Thursday is blue, and Friday is orange. I have to use them in order, and I have to have all five of them."

"Why?" Riku asks, trying not to burst into laughter at the brunette's weird habit.

"I just…do?" He replies somewhat snappily because of Riku's highly amused I'm-trying-not-to-laugh face. Then he glances at the toothbrush again before asking somewhat nervously, "What is today?"

"Monday. Which color is that for again?" Riku replies before looking surprised at Sora's replying glare. "Purple. The one in your mouth," he snaps.

"Oh, er… I'm sorry? You can use it after me," he offers, hoping that his friend doesn't also have germ-o-phobia on top of his recurring case of OCD.

Sora glares at the silverette. "Of course I can't use _that _one, stupid!" Before the other male can reply, Sora sighs frustratedly and continues, "I'll use one of the others, but only this once! I'm only doing it for Kairi's wedding, though, got that?" Riku breathes out a sigh of relief and nods dumbly, watching the brunette storm out of the bathroom, probably going to get dressed. They were due at the wedding in twenty minutes anyway; they didn't have the time to bicker.

Still, that night after the stressful redhead's wedding, Riku was definitely sexually abused for obstructing Sora's equilibrium in life. He couldn't walk the next day. And even after all that, Riku _still_ couldn't tell the infuriating brunette that he's got OCD!

**A/N: I just want to thank you guys for all the support. It's been a whole lot of fun writing and sharing ideas with everyone! I don't know how long I'll be doing this, but I know it's not ending anytime soon!**

**THANKS AGAIN! :D**


	21. For Old Times' Sake

A/N: This is for the wonderful reviewer who asked for a angst-y one. I seriously cried while writing it in my head (but then again, I was feeling pretty horrible that night anyway) so, I have a belief this will satisfy your weird craving to be sad (Lol, I love you, don't be mad I just said that XD). I'm sorry it's so long this time, but I was really trying to make it impacting. You'll see why by the end of it... btw, **this is not the end of this series. I will have more chapters up as soon as possible.**

_~For Old Time's Sake~_

There is something horribly off about tonight.

It's tangible in the air, undeniably there, yet you aren't going to admit it because you assume you're paranoid and you brush it off as if it's nothing. To make things more cliche (and all the more reason to brush it off as nothing) it's thrashing outside as if the sky and condensation are at war. The sky isn't just crying, it's screaming and sobbing. The lightening trapezing through the night sky are the cuts in it's heart shown brightly for only that half-second, eerily making no sound. Silence grips our house except for the drum of rain falling on our windows and roof.

For once, I can't sleep, but I couldn't tell you why. It isn't that I am staying up, waiting for him to come to bed, because I know he'll be here pretty soon and even if I did fall asleep he wouldn't be able to resist his urge to wrap his arms around me, even though it's been probably twenty years now. At first I wouldn't wake when he joined me, but in the beginning he had nightmares, and I was the only one he'd ever go to for comfort. He would hate himself for having to wake me up, or for waking me up by his death grip around me, but eventually the dark dreams went away. Now I awake because that's just how it is, how it's always been. The time we have sleeping side by side is our only time to be intimate, though as the years have gone by, the intensity and frequency isn't the passionate love it used to be.

Don't get the wrong idea; we still love each other, but we aren't teenagers anymore, or even young adults. No, we're both in our forties and no longer wanting sex every hour or two. That's natural, and I wouldn't want it any other way, really. I don't think he would either. I'm not the gullible, naive Sora anymore, and he isn't the dark, mysterious, slightly-lost Riku he used to be. You could say we've grown up, but even that would be an understatement after all our adventures together or otherwise.

The bedroom door opens quietly, and I close my eyes. I would let him know I'm awake like usual, but there's something about tonight that urges me to listen. And that's what I do. I listened to the shuffle of him stripping down to his boxers, the little yanks of his hairbrush going through his long, brilliant silver hair, and the creak of the bed as he carefully crawls next to me in his vain attempt to let me sleep on. Still, despite himself, his arm immediately goes under my neck while his other wraps around my chest. His nose goes to the crook between my neck and shoulder as he silently inhales, just like always.

A weird thought rises to the surface of my mind: _Had I been taking these simple things for granted?_

"Hey," I say, openning my eyes and glancing toward my life-long companion.

He sighs, "Hey," he replies hoarsely, tiredly. A crash outside surprises me, but I don't jump, and instead only shiver at his voice and the dark ambiance the crash gave it.

"Are you feeling ok?" I ask, knowing that something must be wrong if his voice is hoarse.

He hums, "Mm, nothing unusual to report."

This is also something that happens almost every night, the small talk anyway. I can't tell if I feel as if something's missing or I treasure this. The melancholy of the night is making me think too much, but I swear there's something different in his voice tonight.

"You sure?" I press on, worried.

He doesn't reply for several long moments, and that's when I know something really is wrong. I've been with him for a long time and I know he can't directly lie to me.

But then his voice rumbles out, "How long has it been now?" So he doesn't want me to question it yet, even though he knows I heard his voice break. Great.

I smile after contemplating his question. "Probably somewhere around twenty years."

"Hmp," I can hear the smile in his voice; although I hear his voice daily, tonight I savor every note. "Twenty three."

"Eh, I was close." I say, moving to face him. He accommodates me immediately, lifting his arm that's around me and his head, letting me turn over. Once I've settled into his contaigous warmth, his arm rests in the arch of my back. "You've always been the one with exact dates anyway."

"And you've always been the one who gets lucky with guessing." he replies, smirking slightly. I note how he actually has a slight crease in his face from smiling too much over the years. So I _have_ had some impact on him in the past twenty three years. Good.

Both of us have aged, but not nearly as much as most. Due to our daily potions (and/or hi potions), constant exercise from work, and generally good health (with only one exception to that, but his condition doesn't make him age more) we've been told we look 30 instead of 40, which we take pride in. Our eyes still hold that spark, revealing the fire for life inside. That in itself was an accomplishment that took time for both of us to achieve.

Somehow along the way, our small talk turns into a great discussion about aging and our adventures in life. Very few of our stories are new to us since after age 17 we never did anything without the other, but we talk of these things anyway to connect deeper, like pulling a needle tied to a string sewn into two cloths, binding them tighter together. We're always connected, always bound, but these late-night talks renew some of the old passions and fuel the flame in our hearts. We laugh together, smile together like we're 17 again, just relieved to be together and no longer fighting.

Why do I feel like it's the last time?

The storm outside rages on, but we shut the melancholy, out engaging each other in fluent conversation. I push away my curiosity to what he's hiding, even as the hours go by and I could swear Riku's started to shake, and his voice has broke more than once. I know him well enough to know he won't explain until he wants to. Asking won't do anything, but as the night goes on, there's an anxiousness in my heart that only grows with my appreciation of him (which is always increasing). Our intertwined limbs and hands hinder my efforts to push the pending stress away; they make me ache as if I'm missing them even though it's right there.

What is wrong with me tonight? Why am I so worried and paranoid?

It's two A.M. now, and finally we've fallen into a mutual silence. We hold each other for a long time, neither falling asleep (I can tell by his breathing), but when I feel a tremor go through him for the fifth time in the past ten minutes, I have to ask, "Riku, why are you shaking? I haven't said anything till now, and deserve an explanation."

He looks into my eyes, knowing what I'm thinking. He must know by now that I'm thinking about _that_; he must know by now I'm worried sick about it. But he meets my gaze with determination, and once again I wonder if I'm worrying about nothing. How can _that_ be it when he's looking at me so fiercely?

Suddenly, he rolls us both, me on my back with him on top straddling my hips, and kisses me deeply as if trying to reach my soul.

It works.

He pulls away, playing with my spiky brunette locks. The arm that isn't busy props him up on the other side of my head and that's the side he ducks toward before whispering in my ear, "For old time's sake?"

Despite myself, I blush a little bit. "But what about...?"

"I don't care."

I look at him worriedly, but he doesn't see it. I'm still a bit hesitant, not because I don't want it, but because I'm worried it'll put him in pain. He seems to read my thoughts and the hand in my hair leaves its post to trail down southernly, caressing the member hidden innocently under my plaid boxers. Once again, despite myself, my breath hitches slightly and becomes deeper; there's no denying I've become a little aroused because with his hand there, no matter what I say, that region will betray my words.

He's still too good to resist. It would be infuriating if he wasn't mine.

Sighing, I nod and guide his face towards mine though he doesn't need help. It's my way of invitation, and he takes it, kissing me again with perhaps a little bit more edge. Things get heated, and before I know it, it's been an hour and we're both lost to our pleasures, kissing roughly, panting, and moaning, feeling as if we're 20 again, like we are in our hearts. Even the thunder and heavy rain can't cover up our sounds but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We lie together side by side, sweating and trying to catch our breath. It's probably around 3 A.M. or later now, and I can't help but laugh at myself. "It's taking a lot longer to calm down than it used to."

He pants, "Tell me about it," and lets out a barkish kind of laugh. I smile, turning my face to him. I take in the way his hair sticks to his face from sweat, the way his cheeks are flushed, and the way his eyes are wild, like a glass of wine; some things never change. He's like my own personal brand of heroin.

I had almost forgotten about my worry for my silverette... until he started coughing violently a couple minutes later. His eyes look scared, almost as if he'd been expecting this, and I become afraid too. Automatically I take him into my arms, just like I do when he's sick, and he obliges to my temporary dominance, cuddling into me. He continues to cough off the side of my chest where his head lays. I take his hand and intertwine our fingers swiftly only to find his hand is trembling. "If you weren't feeling well, why did you decide to seduce me?"

Once again, he doesn't answer, just like several hours ago. Somehow it's still storming outside and more frightening than it was earlier. The anxious feeling comes back. "Is it...?"

"D-don't talk about it." he replies, sounding as scared as his eyes. That's when my blood turns cold; suddenly everything fits together.

Memories of that time come back, when he was terribly sick to the point he couldn't even stand. The doctor said it was cancer, but we knew better when chemotherapy didn't affect him at all. Letters between us and the different worlds revealed no one had ever heard of this before, and we all understood. Riku couldn't absorb the darkness of a whole world and expect it to just go away. Nothing compares the the horror I felt at the prospect of losing him or the shock of my so strong companion not being able to even move; we tried everything we could to get rid of the Darkness infecting everything from within him. King Mickey said it would likely 'go away' for awhile and only come back in bursts. Because it couldn't take his heart anymore, it'd work like a cancer. Now, whenever we had to talk about it, we called it his cancer to make it sound better than it was.

I didn't think it'd take him like this. I never thought it'd take him anytime soon.

"No. No, no, no. Riku, you aren't going anywhere." I say frantically, gripping his hair.

Something wet falls onto my chest and it instantly make my eyes water overwhelmingly. Tears fall down through the corners of my eyes, but I try desperately to make no sounds. Why tonight? He can't leave me. There is no way he's going tonight. What would I do without him? Is there any point to living without him?

I don't know what to do. There's nothing to do; we can't stop this. "How long did you know?" I ask thickly.

"For the past five hours."

"Goddamnit, Riku, you didn't have to over-exert yourself and it wouldn't have started! What the hell were you thinking?" I ask angrily. Was he trying to commit suicide!

"I-it wouldn't have mattered what I did, Sora. It's determined tonight."

"N-no! Y-you can't...!" He grips me tighter as I fall into despair.

"What do you expect me to do without you?" I cover my eyes with my free arm trying to hide my onslaught of tears going down my temples like a waterfall. He lifts his face and moves my arm, pinning it over my head. I glare at him tearfully; he knows I hate it when he has to watch me cry. He still looks scared and somehow it just makes me angrier.

"I don't want to think about you without me."

"How the fuck do you think about how I feel?" I respond, "You're leaving me behind!"

His eyes flash; he's just as hurt as I am. With a sorrowed glance I relent. "I'm sorry," I whisper to him.

"I know," he says shakily. Thats when the talking stops. His hair covers his face as he looks down to hide his own tears. He always hated crying, like me, but I don't let him run away from me. I entangle my fingers into his insanely long hair, proof of the years, and pull it back, unraveling the knots the strands recently acquired from me. He looks so beautiful even like this; I always told him he looks the best when he feels his worst, when he is vulnerable.

Minutes go by in sets of ten, but each second isn't taken for granted as I come to accept the little time we have left. I braid his hair like I used to, I kiss every inch of his skin softly and he looks away blushingly, glancing back because he can't not look. He pins me down and watches every expression I make, watching the emotions go through my eyes even though I try my best not to let them show. He attacks my neck with his lips, and tickles me even though he knows I hate it (or so he thinks). I laugh through tears and he smirks softly, trying not to let the tears clouding his icy turquoise eyes fall again. I push him around softly, muttering about how much of a sap he is and he pushes me completely off the bed in revenge, laughing as he calls me a sissy and lays down again, resisting those damn cough attacks.

I climb back to him, poking him in the chest, "You're an idiot."

"At least I don't have gravity-defying spikes for hair."

"Who's the one who has their hair down to his ass, eh? And you think you're seme!"

"I am seme," he says feigning arrogance, forcing me into a kiss.

I kiss him back but pay more attention to how his lips feel on mine. He's always had soft lips, his skin's always so soft. He's always put his true emotion into his kisses, making him more of a push-over than he'll ever admit. I've never told him how much I love this fact, and I don't tell myself this is the last time we'll be like this.

I don't think I could handle the thought.

Finally we pull away. "Ah, damnit." he says.

"What?" I ask, looking concerned all over again.

He looks away, "I can't move." My gaze softens, chosing to ignore the impact of the knowledge that this is the last set of ten minutes we have.

The tears are still in my eyes, but I ignore them too. "That's ok," I say, even though it isn't. I never told him how much it terrifies me to see him paralyzed by the darkness inside him.

He accepts my lie and I move his limbs to rest around my lithe form. He sighs sadly that he can't do it himself and at the same time happily that it was done at all. "Thanks," he says.

"Mm," I reply, placing my cheek on his shoulder and kissing his neck. I usually don't but I know he thinks its adorable when I do.

"Sora... Where do you go after this? Will the darkness...?" he says, staring determinedly at the ceiling.

A lump returns to my throat. I wish I knew the answer, but I rarely ever do. "You aren't going to the darkness if that's what you think." I say firmly, my mouth pressed into a thin line from anger at the very thought of it.

"I could always do what Kairi did and keep my heart with yours."

"I don't think it works that way." I say sadly.

"I know," he replies. A shiver goes through his body, and he mutters, "That... was odd."

"Odd how?" I ask, before gasping. His body suddenly dropped in temperature. "What the hell?" I exclaim.

Riku looks simply terrified but says nothing. With every shiver his body gets colder, and his breathing slows significantly. His heartbeat follows, and I listen with my ear to his chest in fascinated horror. Tears spring to my eyes again, but adrenaline urges me to just let them fall as my heart races and my thoughts become more and more frantic.

I want to scream, I want to sob, but the look in my silverette's eyes stops me from doing any of the above. I couldn't blame him and yell because I don't know what I would do without him, I don't know where he will go, or why this is happening to him, us. It's not his fault and I know that. If anything it's mine, for the whole misunderstanding in our teen years, and my tears stream down my face harder as I sit up and stare at the result of it all.

"Hey," he says thickly in protest, tears streaming slightly out of the corners of his eyes, "get back over here."

With a muffled sob I oblige, looping my arm around his shoulders and bringing myself down to hug him close. My other hand interlocks our fingers again and I bring them to the side of my chest, trying to warm his icy hands.

Minutes pass by in silence because there's nothing left to do or say except silently lament our sorrow with tears. Finally his breath becomes frighteningly laboured and his heart is only thumping lightly. His body is shivering against mine, and we know its the end.

"I love you, Sora." he croaks out thickly.

With wide eyes, I look up at him and reply just as brokenly, "I love you too. Always have."

Almost immediately after the words sucessfully leave my mouth, the shivering stops. His last breath leaves his lungs slowly, as if he's silently protesting, silently screaming at the horrid thing inside him that's stealing him away. But it's stronger than he is, and the breath is gone and no air comes into him again. His heart follows only moments behind, stopping suddenly as if someone froze it. The bright turquoise eyes I've been in love with for more than twenty three years darken and lose it's spark. A great rip of lightning illuminates the last shades of Riku and me, and only my cry of anguish outweights the crash of thunder that follows.

My best friend, my lover, my _soul mate_, is gone.

A/N: Well... what do you think? Did it make you want to cry? Were there any spots that needed to be written better? Rating on a scale of one to ten?


	22. BiPolar

_~Bi-Polar~_

There was nothing odd about today. It's been two months since Riku and I moved into an apartment together since our parents insisted we move closer to the school on the mainland (that was a fiasco), and we've all unpacked everything. Our daily schedule consisted of video games, T.V., the beach, sparring, watching movies, and wasting hours away on our shared laptop (Riku does that last one more than I do though).

To be honest, I'm pretty happy with this laid-back lifestyle. Everything was going great; I mean, why wouldn't it? I get to hang out with Riku all day. My stuff is organized the way it should and my silverette companion doesn't complain. Life is easy going after all the worlds-travel.

However, Riku has one little quirk that I did not anticipate.

I was watching T.V. that night, like usual. It was Friday night, meaning Ghost Adventures was on at 8 or 9 and I really didn't want to miss it. Sure, the show creeped me out sometimes but I could pester Riku into comforting me. He always teased me about it though, saying I should be used to this creepy stuff from visiting Halloween Town so much, but this show is completely different from that and he knows it!

Riku was currently at the grocery store because the only thing in the refrigerator was a rotten orange. Because he practically does all the work around here like the overachiever he is, he insisted I stay home and 'guard the place' while he goes on a tangent in the nearest Wal-mart, looking for food we'll actually eat.

He got home around 8, muttering under his breath about heavy milk cartons. Ghost Adventures wasn't on yet (unfortunately) so I got up from my comfy spot on the couch to help him bring in the groceries. He got a lot, but I didn't blame him; our appetites could rival the latest winner of the hot-dog eating competition. It took awhile to bring everything in and put everything in it's rightful place, mostly because Riku doesn't understand where everything has to go in the pantry. Long story short, I made him only put away the things that go in the freezer and refrigerator. We got everything _properly_ organized in about 30 minutes, ending up on the couch afterward, waiting for Ghost Adventures to start.

"Why do you like watching this show when it scares the crap out of you?" he asked, a slightly amused smirk on his face.

"Because," I started, glaring at his amusement, "It's a cool show. Don't you wonder what happens after you die?"

He shrugged. "I do, but not very often, and I highly doubt I'm going to stick around to haunt someone, or wait for these guys(1) to come and piss me off."

I hate it when he makes a good point. "Still, I find the show interesting." I replied, still glaring at him. I crossed my arms for good measure.

But a certain light in his eyes definitely made me nervous. He said teasingly, "I think you watch it just because you want me to cuddle with you till you fall asleep. You know, you don't have to get _scared_ to have a good excuse; you could just ask."

My jaw dropped. "That is NOT why I watch the show!" I replied hotly, my face turning a nice shade of red a tomato would die for.

I opened my mouth to start defending myself, but he just laughed. "Alright, alright," he said, holding his hands up in surrender, "I was just teasing, gees. No need to get defensive."

Just then, the show started. Instead of retorting again, explaining how I was definitely _not _gay or a sissy and did not need comforting, I just stuck my tongue out at him. At least now I wouldn't have to lie. I silently thanked Ghost Adventures for their supernatural timing.

But still, to make my unsaid point clear, I didn't make one little eep of fright the whole time, and did not jump to Riku for comfort. Two hours later, I was holding up surprisingly well. Ghost Adventures was over and we ended up watching 27 Dresses. The only reason we were watching it was because there was nothing else on and Kairi insisted we watch it or she'd make us. We preferred the first option.

However, Riku was acting really strange. Every commercial break he'd get up and pace around with an angry expression on his face, pulling his fingers through his hair agitatedly and muttering under his breath. Occasionally he'd give the T.V. screen a rude hand gesture, usually at a pretty girl.

After the second time of doing this, I had to ask, "Riku, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Gah, I don't even know. I just randomly got tense and agitated."

"You don't even know why you're angry?"

He shook his head, then suddenly made a scary face and punched a pillow. I continued, "Uhm, maybe you should sit down."

"I would if I could." he said, pulling his hand through his hair again.

I sighed, making some quick calculations. "Riku, come here."

He looked scared for a second. "No, I hate being angry around you. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me. You're worrying me, so get over here." I retorted, knowing what he would say before he even said it.

With a nervously tense glance over at a wall, he relented and walked over to me. I got up, and gestured for him to sit down. He looked confused, but sat down anyway, leaning on his elbow that's resting on the arm of the couch. After that, I laid down with my head in his lap. "Now watch the movie." I ordered, turning to the T.V. screen.

"O-o.k." he replied, obviously caught off guard. I resisted smirking at my ability to do this (which I do often, completely on purpose) and turned my attention to the movie. Not five minutes later, my silverette started playing with my hair and, glancing back to his face, I saw him completely at ease again. Mission Accomplished.

I wonder if I should tell him that I think he might be Bi-polar.

**A/N: (1): On the show Ghost Adventures, these three guys go from haunted place to haunted place and try to lure out spirits to talk to them or make appearances. The main guy in the group, Zak, usually gets them to talk by making them angry and taunting them.**

**aaanyway, I thought this would be a funny flip side to Sora's OCD. Tell me whatcha think:)**

**And thank you SO much for those of you who review. I really appreciate the input, especially the people that continue reading my story ^-^ you guys have totally made my year haha :D I'll have the next chapter up soon! **


	23. Scared

_~Scared~_

I don't remember when I got talked into this, but I really regret it now. "A-a-a-a-a-a-a…" I resist the urge to scream bloody hell as the creepy dead Asian girl slowly appears on the screen. HOW did I get talked into this?

There are only two options: either rely on my companion to comfort me while I simultaneously lose all dignity as a man, OR suck it up and be scarred for life. I can't tell which one it worse to tell you the truth.

I think I understand why this girl has a 'grudge' now. She got talked into watching a horrifying movie like this, died upon the sight, and haunted people trying to get revenge on her evil boyfriend who showed her the damn thing in the first place! Right now, that sounds like a GREAT idea. I would love to see my silverette absolutely terrified, instead of laughing his ass off next to me. Do you know how amazing that would be?

_No, don't go under the covers, don't do it, don't do it, you're gonna die, you're gonna die, AUGH GODDAMNIT! _And the random blonde girl is pulled under the covers by the monster Asian girl. I feel my face twitch as it contorts into a horrified expression as if I just saw someone rotting rise up from their coffin (which I guess I did). My body tenses up familiarly as I am still fighting the urge to take my best friend's hand, or glomp him down onto the couch and hide my face into his chest. You have no idea how tempting that is right now; I don't think I've ever had such a strong urge. It doesn't help that he smells amazing all the time, nor the fact that his embraces make me instantly melt from the inside.

I glare at him as I think about this, aghast when I find him smirking at the screen with a mildly bored expression on his face. Suddenly, I can't take it anymore. "How do you not find this scary?" I exclaim, flailing my arms at him.

He snickers, "Because this movie is hilarious! These people are so stupid; they fall right into the Grudge's trap."

"Uhm, it's not their fault. The thing is a fucking stalker!"

He pauses then and looks at me for a moment. With a wider smirk planted firmly onto his face, he asks, "Sora, are you frightened?"

Forget the movie; I've never been so scared in my life as I am now. I stutter nervously, "H-hheh! No… O-of course not, psshhhh! Who would be afraid of this? Hah!"

"Aww… It's ok to be afraid, Sora." He must be lying, because his expression is too devious for me to take him seriously. I'm _screwed_.

"I'm not afraid!" I defensively reply.

Surprisingly, he relents. "Suit yourself," he replies simply, returning his attention back to the T.V. screen.

I breathe out a slow breath of relief. I have no idea how I got away with that, but I'm definitely happy that I did. I can't help feeling like the worst is yet to come though… But I follow Riku's example, and turn my attention back to the screen.

Why don't I listen to my instinctive premonitions? As soon as my eyes fall to the screen, I scream in terror at the sight of the damned girl growing out of the corner of the wall. I back up involuntarily into the couch as far as my body can go and close my eyes. "Errg…."

That's when Riku starts laughing. "I knew you were scared."

"Fuck off." I grumble, unwilling to look at the screen again. I stay where I am, tensed up into the back of the couch with my heart beating a million miles an hour, farthest away from Riku as possible. By now, I'm probably shaking like a chick with my arm over my eyes but there isn't much I can do about it. I silently curse Riku for making me watch this damn movie and myself for being scared of it.

But then the unexpected happened. A hand wraps around the wrist blocking my face from Riku and tugs it away. Even when my arm is forced to reveal my face, the hand continues to tug, and I snap my eyes open right before crashing into my silverette companion. He hugs me to his chest as if he read my earlier thoughts, and I breathe in deeply, unable to help myself. I could almost feel him smiling triumphantly against my spiky brunette hair, but right now I couldn't care less.

I hear the snapping sound of the T.V. shutting off and I finally relax, breathing out a sigh of relief yet again. "If I knew you would react this way to scary movies, I would've made you watch one sooner," he says, chuckling slightly.

"Not happening." I say firmly back, "Wait until I make _you_ get scared. Then you'll understand."

He snorts. "Like that's ever going to happen."


	24. Scared Pt2

_~Scared Pt.2~_

"And so I had to tell the teacher I hadn't even started the stupid project… Man, I really wanted a B-"

"HOLY SHI~T!"

"What! What is it?" I exclaim, startled by Riku's terrified interruption. I watched the twitching, flinching silverette with curiosity; I've never seen him scared before… but what's there to be afraid of?

Riku grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, glaring hard at the air above my head. "What the hell?" I ask, trying to look around and find whatever's bothering Riku. Either he's seeing hallucinations or he's suddenly developed a phobia of clouds because I'm pretty sure these are the only things that could be floating above my head. Because of my unfailing faith in Riku's sanity (heh, sarcasm), I continue to look around. I see no shark swimming towards us from the glimmering, blue ocean. I see no man-eating crab scuttling its way to us through the white sand with hatred written in it's eyes. The coconut trees have not suddenly grown bat wings or zombie legs. In summary, there isn't a thing abnormal on the beach we're walking down.

And then Riku seems to finally have an urge to divulge his problem. He backs away slowly, raising a finger and pointing at something obviously flying around towards him. I turn around to see what's so horrifying, feeling somewhat amused and somewhat nervous, because if Riku is afraid of something, it must be truly terrifying, right?

I was so wrong. Once I turn around, I come face to face with a small black and red hovering creature, most commonly known as a wasp. For a moment, all I could do is stare at it. See, I'm not afraid of wasps… but wait, Riku is? To confirm my thinking, Riku takes my wrist again and pulls me back, "It's gonna sting you if you just stand there! Gah!"

Suddenly, a small fit of laughter comes over me. "Riku, it's not going to sting you unless you bother it!"

"That's what it _wants _you to think," he replies stubbornly, glaring daggers at the poor lost thing as if it could possibly be a serial killer.

"Noooo, Riku, it's just a bug with a defense mechanism, not a ninja assassin with the license to kill. They don't want to sting anyone because once it does, he dies, you know."

"Good riddance," he grumbles, still gripping my wrist for dear life. By this time, the wasp is already gliding away slowly, uninterested in us humans, probably off in search of nutrients for its colony. I smile slightly as I watch Riku attentively watch the little creature fly away.

I tug back at his grip on me harshly, breaking his grasp on me and forcing him to crash into me. Being strong, I embrace him, smirking slightly at how he automatically hugs back. I rest my head on his shoulder, but look towards his face as I flick his nose.

His face twitches. "What was that for?" he asks, rubbing his nose from across my shoulder.

"For being a paranoid idiot. If my wrist bruises, you're gonna be in trouble," I say, grinning teasingly. He answers back with a sheepish expression before saying, "Sorry."

Perfect. I let my grin widen, feeling a sense of triumph grow in my chest. "It's ok. Next time you piss me off or make me watch a scary movie, all I'll have to do is put a wasp in the house… 'cause even _you _can get _scared._"

My taunt worked nicely. He pales a bit, also blushing a little while glaring at me. But he doesn't retort, knowing I had definitely pwned him this time. I chuckle, deciding to let this win stay as it is, and kiss his cheek as my way of telling him it's ok. Then I take his hand and pull him in the opposite direction the wasp went, earning a relieved expression from my silverette.

I swear I learn something new about him every day.


	25. Laugh Attack BP2

_~Laugh Attack~ (B-P 2)_

My best friend scares me sometimes. It doesn't scare me when he randomly decides to fly through my window and wake me up at 2 A.M. for absolutely no reason. It doesn't scare me when he stays up till four in the morning, doing only God knows what, and then sleeps till four in the afternoon, or until I force him out of bed the next day. It _doesn't scare me _when he decides to pin me down and kiss me or tickle me. No, these things I don't mind and/or secretly adore. However, there are some times when… well, I just don't know what to do with him.

Example: Today. Riku and I were trying to do some homework at his house, and I left for about five minutes to make a sandwich. It didn't take me very long; I know Riku's house like the back of my hand. I was able to construct the ham sandwich in record time, and so when I was done, I walked down the hall back to Riku's room to hear the strangest noise.

Someone, namely Riku considering no one else was home, was laughing. Hysterically. At first, I didn't think anything other than 'Uh, ok… That's extremely weird. I wonder what's so funny…' and continued on my way to his room. However, even when I got inside the room, he didn't stop his antics. He was sprawled across the floor on his back, a PlayStation2 controller in one hand, while the other clutched his stomach whilst he continued to burst in fits of laughter.

I was thoroughly taken aback; Riku hardly _ever _laughs, and when he does its honest, don't get me wrong, but still short like a dog's bark. But now? It's like there's an invisible SpongeBob in front of him tap dancing while Patrick tries to anal rape one of the yellow sponge's many holes. Quite honestly, it was a bit scary to him like this; what if he's having a mental breakdown?

"What is so funny?" I asked the obvious, shuffling into the room while balancing a plate with my sandwich in one hand. I gave him a funny look and scanned the room. There's nothing there that's out of the ordinary. Looking to the T.V. screen, the game he's playing is paused, but it looks like he paused it in the middle of a battle. There's nothing funny about that… is there? Does he find it funny to kick some imaginary character's butt? So he's a sadist? Since when?

"I... –gasp- don't –snicker- know. Ha!" he replies laughingly. I think I twitched then because my sandwich moved a bit on my plate. _What the hell? He doesn't know why he's laughing? _I continued to gape at him as he spazzed out on the floor until he calmed down, panting exhaustedly. When he finally seemed to get control over himself, I looked at him as if to say 'is there something wrong with you?' and sat down on his bed simultaneously, intending to start eating and continue life as if this never happened.

But as soon as I sat down, he took one look at the T.V. screen and busted out in laughter spasms again. This continued for at least twenty minutes.

The more time I spend with him, the more I think he has bi-polar disorder.

**A/N: I've been having a weird writing phase of not feeling like these are up to par XD I'm trying to write myself out of it… please be patient with me, mnyeh. Review pleeeease? I might be gone for a little while because I'm getting a drawing pad for the computer and will most likely obsess over it for awhile. But I'll continue to update! :D **


	26. Torture

_~Torture~_

Riku had no idea of the consequences there would be by giving Sora a popsicle. He did it mainly to see the kid smile again, but he had no idea that he would eat it like _that._

He simply can't look away. The silverette grips the table for dear life while his back suddenly tenses, and the new pants he got _yesterday _are definitely tighter than they should be. This is not good. This should be _illegal _for cruel and unusual punishment. This is just pure torture!

Riku tries not to drool as Sora continues to lick the red melting rod of sugar. Why does he have to wrap his tongue around it like that? The tongue mentioned darts out, licking a rivulet of dripping sweetness, and an image flashes through his mind of that tongue doing that to a certain vein instead. The silverette's eye twitches.

The spiky-haired brunette eating said popsicle pauses from his ministrations and furrows his eye brows. "Riku, are you ok?" Riku can't reply as Sora sticks the cold treat back into his mouth, suckling slightly with a soft slurping sound.

The older teen tries to gather his bearings. "Y-yeah, I-I'm fine," he says nervously, his eyes never leaving the pink (now turning red-ish) plump lips of the brunette.

"Oo thur? (You sure?)" Sora responds concernedly, sliding the treat in his mouth to the side presumably to address the silverette somewhat coherently. Riku definitely appreciates the effort but it prevents him from replying, as he's too distracted by Sora's mouth. All he manages to do is nod very slowly, his eyes never straying.

Suddenly, the light bulb in Sora's head turns on. He has a theory, and decides to test it immediately; he sucks the popsicle into his mouth almost all the way, making a louder slurping sound, but then he lets it go with a slight 'pop'. Riku's eyes widen notably. Sora inwardly smirks and goes right into action, sliding his chair back noisily and stands with a mischievous sparkle in his ocean-blue eyes. Then he walks over to the silverette, swaying his hips purposefully, smirking at Riku's lustful gaze and unawareness of Sora's understanding.

Once Sora is in front of the older male, he sits across the silverette's lap, making sure his hands brushed not only his thigh, but also a pulsing hardness bulging against the silverette's jeans. Finally, Riku snaps out of his daze and holds back a hiss of pleasure. He looks to the younger male suspiciously, now starting to catch onto Sora's seduction attempt. Sora realizes he's been caught but he still smiles sweetly and licks the last bit of his popsicle, savoring the last of its delicious cold flavor. Riku watches attentively, but still is caught off guard when Sora finally attacks, kissing the silverette open-mouthed, letting him taste what he was enjoying.

When they pull apart, Sora whispers seductively, "Want to change the taste? I'm thinking more… _salty_." and gets up, once again purposefully trailing his hands across his lover's crotch and thighs. With one last look over his shoulder revealing his most dazzling smile, the gravity-defy spiky haired brunette strides away, intending for the silverette to follow.

Riku didn't have to think twice.


	27. GermX OCD 4

_~Germ-X (OCD 4)~_

I think I got Sora sick. It's the only thing that would make sense, considering the only one's he's kissed lately is me, and I was sick maybe a week or so ago. I wasn't bedridden or anything which is why I just brushed it off, as I usually do when I'm sick because I hate wasting time. Now I wish I hadn't though because this led to a confrontation by an enemy of mine; I call it OCD. I swear my lover has it and _bad_. It worries me a little because I hate seeing him unhappy, which occurs if I happen to disrupt his way of things, his 'equilibrium' in life. The last time I accidently pissed him off was when I used his 'Monday' purple toothbrush; we ended up late to Kairi's wedding. I'm surprised I wasn't sent to hell, though I did get close.

And I had to wrestle with it again, though this time I was able evade the potential wrath. It started with Sora's sneezing fit, which woke me up this morning. It was probably the cutest thing I've ever woken up to, but Sora wasn't amused.

"You ok?" I asked alertly, sitting up on my elbows. Even though I just woke up, I have the ability to snap right out of the sleepy daze.

"No." he replied miserably. "It's freezing in here, I keep sneezing, and my voice is going away." By the sound of his cracking, quietly hoarse voice, I could tell he wasn't lying. Concerned, I reached over to my brunette and placed the back of my hand on his forehead; he had a fever.

"You need to lay down, love." I told him, giving him a concerned look.

"No. Where's my Germ-X?" Sora replied miserably. To comply to his weird needs (I sensed that I should just go with his refusal to lay down… my OCD senses were tingling), I looked to my right were the bedside table resided innocently, figuring it'd be right there, or in the drawer under the top. My quick assumptions were correct; a huge bottle of Germ-X was in the drawer by our charging cell phones, pens, and my sketch pad.

I turned back over towards my brunette lover and handed him the bottle. He snatched it from me eagerly as if it was the cure to all cancer, vigorously pumping the lever that would bring him germ-killing relief at least 10 times before lathering it all over his hands and forearms. I watched him curiously and worriedly, relating his actions with his others, like his toothbrush order, tight shoes, and pantry organization. What other symptoms of OCD does he have? And when did he develop all these bizarre habits?

Instead of those questions, I asked him, "What would happen if you didn't have your Germ-X, Sora? Just wondering."

He looked conflicted at the bottle before whispering as if horrified, "I would cry and cry because there would be so many germs on my hands…"

He didn't need to say anymore; I got the point. Sighing, pulled him into my arms and ordered him, "Sleep."

He complied, but hugged the bottle of Germ-X tightly to his chest. In response to my questioning look, he said, "Just in case I sneeze again…" I nodded, curling his locks of hair through my fingers idly, enjoying his small escaped sigh.

From this I came to a reasonable conclusion; I wouldn't tell him of his OCD behavior until it might harm him more than the knowledge of having the disorder. Because I love him enough, I'll go along with his compulsions to brush his teeth with five different toothbrushes and need of Germ-x and equally tight shoes. I mean, what does it really matter anyway? He's Sora, and that's all that matters because he's the most important part of my life, and always has been. Being OCD is apart of who he is, and there's no way in hell I want to change that.

And anyway, it's kind of funny to watch him eat skittles one color at a time after separating them as if he were racist.

**A/n: Lol the ending line is completely random but I thought it kind of fit nicely, eh? I'm almost at 30 chapters… I find that astounding O.O**

**So far, I have 45 reviews. That's never ever happened to me before, so thank you guys sooo much. Shout out to: Digimagic, Chasyn, AnimeFreak4261, Reihu, Maxx, ****RuikinIsBomb, and Skypiratelove for reviewing, and all who have put this story on Story Alert or have favorited it. You guys have made this so much fun to write! :D **


	28. Princess

_~Princess~_

**Note: Riku and Sora are around 6-7 years old.**

"Momma, I'm sorry…" I sniffle, staring up at a 30 year old silverette in a white summer dress. She's really pretty for a mommy, even my friends say so. I hate seeing her sad, but she has been a lot lately. I think it's because Daddy's going away forever and it's my fault. Tears fall faster down my cheeks as I wonder if Daddy is leaving because I can't read in my Kindergarten class yet.

Momma bends down, stroking my silver hair comfortingly. The other hand reaches up and wipes my tears away. "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

"Is Daddy leaving because of me?" I ask, drooping my head toward to floor in shame.

Momma takes a sharp breath and quickly explains, "Oh, no, baby, no! This isn't your fault at all! He- he just…" She doesn't finish her sentence, but I know when Momma is lying; her hands start shaking a little. Right now, her hands are calm though her eyes are concerned.

"Are you sure? Have you asked him? I'm sorry for crying, Momma, I know Daddy doesn't like it…" I sniffle desperately again, Daddy's disgusted expression flitting across my mind's eye.

"Shh…" Momma hugs me to her chest and I hug her back, wrapping my arms around her neck for support. "Baby, it's ok to cry…"

"Big boys don't cry!" I exclaim, jerking back a little bit to meet her eyes. I don't look a lot like Daddy; Momma and I share greenish-blue eyes (I don't know the real color's name), light skin and lips, face shape, and even our hair color. She told me before that I would grow tall and strong like Daddy though… but how am I going to grow strong if he won't teach me how?

"Boys do cry," she replies sternly, and I know better to argue. Properly quiet, Momma continues, "Don't worry, Riku, Momma will take care of you even if Daddy does go."

"No, no, no, Momma! I'll take care of you! That's what big boys do, like in those fairy tales you read to me!"

For the first time that week, Momma smiles. It's a watery smile as tears trickle into her eyes, but her tone assures me she's somewhat alright. "You're my knight, Riku." I hug her again, smiling into her shoulder. After a long moment, she gives it a quick pat and says, "Go find your princess and take care of her, k? I'm going to start cooking dinner."

"Right, Momma!" I say, pulling away and bolting to the door to put on my shoes. Momma doesn't know it, but I have a secret; I already have a princess and I think about this as I open and slam the door close, sprinting to the Paopu tree my best friend and I hang out at.

He's already there, staring off into the distance, but I don't know what he's looking for there. He often does this with a small smile on his face. My friend has ocean-blue eyes unlike Momma and me, and chocolate brown hair that's full of magic; it stands up on end in spikes constantly. They stay up even when he's soaked to the bone!

"Sora!" I call, running up to my brown-haired friend until I get right beside him. He whips around, but I see it slowly, and for a moment, I wonder if he's really a girl because his smile's so pretty.

"Hiya, Riku!" he calls back, waving his small hand enthusiastically. When I get over to him, I haunch over and rest my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath.

"I… have…something… to tell you." I rasp, standing up tall again. Even though Sora is the same age as I am, I am already taller; he only reaches my nose.

"What is it, Riku?" he asks, looking up at me with a wide smile, face tilted up towards mine. His eyes are suddenly alighted with excitement as he continues without waiting for my answer, "Did you find a better sword to play Knights with?"

I shake my head, frowning slightly and reply, "No, but I got something better!"

"What? What?" My companion is practically shaking in anticipation.

"I found my princess!" I exclaim proudly, smirking with all my worth.

Sora's eyes widen with wonder. His mouth forms a wide 'o' before he asks, "Who is she?"

I'm dumbfounded. Isn't it obvious as to who it is? "Sora, it's not a she. It's you, stupid."

His cute little face turns completely red and his eyebrows furrow. "Riku!" he protests, "How can I be your princess when I'm a boy!"

I don't know the answer to that. I think hard about this question, looking up to the sky for answers with my finger under my chin and the clouds gave me a bright answer. "I don't care if you're a boy! You're still my princess!"

Sora crosses his arms, pouting with his tomato red face just like how a princess would. But my princess doesn't like my answer and picks up a sword lying next to the Paopu tree, resuming a battle stance. "That's not fair Riku!" he says angrily, "I want to be the knight!"

He throws the sword at me and I catch it with ease, paying attention when he grabs another sword from the same location the first one was it. Within moments, we are sword fighting until we decide to wrestle instead, rolling around the small island connected to the bigger one. I win the war once I pin him down, tickling his sides until tears are steaming down the sides of his face from hysterical laughter. I let him recover after I release him, but I still tease him, "See, this is why I'm the knight and you are the princess!"

"Why do I have to be the princess?" he asks miserably.

"Because," I say seriously, "Momma told me to find a princess, and I have to listen and take care of her."

"But doesn't your daddy take care of Momma?" he asks innocently, looking at me curiously.

"Daddy's going away," I say, looking away. Tears come to my eyes again, but I hold them back because my princess can't see his knight cry, and also big boys don't cry anyway. I continue to avoid looking at Sora, but I continue determinedly, raising my hand to wipe the underside of my nose as I sniffle quietly, "But I'm going to take care of Momma so it's ok."

Suddenly, I'm on the ground, seeing through brown locks. "S-sora…?" My face feels really hot for some reason.

"It's ok, Riku, I'll be your princess." His arms around me tighten slightly and I relax, hugging him back. Like I did with Momma, I rest my forehead on his shoulder and listen as he continues, "But you gotta promise me that you'll let me take care of Momma too!"

Sora's words make me melt inside, and I don't understand why, but tears again come to my eyes again. I hide in the safety of Sora's shoulder and helplessly nod, berating myself for crying twice in one day. Then I lift one hand, outstretching my pinky in a silent promise. Somehow he sees it and understands, because moments later a pinky interlocks with mine silently.

I think Momma would love my princess as much as I do.

**A/N: Alright, I am so sorry. I've been kind of slow with updates for several reasons. First, I was distracted with my new drawing tablet and my mom's birthday… Then, a writer's block decided to throttle itself into my face. There's more too though I find this to be good news but you might not think so… I got a new laptop on Wednesday. It's not that much of an excuse for not writing, but I've been playing around with my new baby and have been getting used to him so please bear with me. I'm working on a more… M rated chapter due to request (heh, so be prepared to skip a chapter if you don't like lemons, eh?) and will have that up as soon as possible. **


	29. Babysitting

_~Babysitting~_

The door bursts open with a loud slam to the wall, and I sit up, immediately awake despite the restful and deep sleep I was in only moments previously. Before I could figure out why my heart is beating a mile a minute, a childish whining voice exclaims, "Riiiikuuuu, Axel tried to glomp me again!" Looking to the source of the voice, I spot a little spiky-haired blonde in distress, pointing accusingly toward a sheepish looking red-head outside my door. At least one of them has manners.

When little Roxas's word sink in, I sigh, wondering how to fix this. "Why does it bother you when he hugs you?" I ask, glancing between the six-year-old and seven-year-old.

He looks at me as if the answer is obvious. "Becaaaause he's a creeper!" he replies, scooting away nervously. Axel looks offended and replies, "I'm not a creeper! …Riku, what's a creeper?"

My question is how Roxas knows what a creeper is, and yet Axel doesn't. I'm also wondering how long my sanity will be able to stand this. After some quick calculations, I figure that my sanity left a long time ago, and that Roxas knows too much. Therefore, I should get up and babysit these kids like I was asked to do last night by their moms and Sora, who's supposed to be here soon. My legs move and dangle off the side of the bed, my feet colliding with soft carpet. Both kids are silent as they seem to know I'm definitely not in the mood for more screaming. Or maybe Axel is just waiting for an answer.

I don't get the chance to speak because Roxas answers for me. "A creeper is someone stalks people!"

"But I don't stalk you!" the older of the two children exclaims defensively, "I like you; what's so wrong about that?"

"That's the problem! You're supposed to like girls!"

"Well, what girl do _you _like then?" Axel huffs, crossing his arms while he pointedly looks at the floor, trying to hide his embarrassment. It would've worked if he a blush didn't taint his cheeks so innocently.

Roxas looks like he wants to retort, but doesn't know what to say. Either he has a girl he likes, but he doesn't want to say her name, or he doesn't have a girl he likes and just doesn't want to admit it. I decide to stop their bantering here. "You two shouldn't worry about girls and liking yet. You're too young." I gruffly intervene, ruffling my hair tiredly.

"Now that's not fair, Riku. When I was five I knew exactly who I was going to marry whether he knew it yet or not," a beautiful voice resonates, obviously amused. I look up in surprise to find my lover, Sora, in the doorway with a small smile on his face. Both children giggle at that and run out of the room whispering, yet hand in hand even if they were fighting only two seconds earlier. Brats.

"You're home." I comment, collapsing my shoulders in a defeated way. Man, those two kids kept me up all night, I swear. They were up till two in the morning giggling for God knows what reason and without Sora in the bed beside me, how could I fall asleep? I hate it when he has those business trips on the mainland… He just had to have one the night we were asked to babysit too…

"Rough night?" he asks as if reading my mind.

"They were freakin' monkeys, I swear…" I growl, getting up to find a shirt and pair of jeans strewn somewhere across the floor. Sora watches with interest in the doorway, leaning against the post with his arms crossed. Once I have both a shirt and a pair of jeans on, I join him in the doorway gesturing for him to move so we could go entertain/commit suicide for the kids. However, to my surprise he shakes his head with another smile and leans up, kissing me sweetly. "I missed you," he murmurs with a contemplative look.

"I missed you too," I mutter back, playing with a certain lock of spiky brunette hair that has always been my favorite. I'll never admit how much I missed him though; it's not exactly manly to say that I need him to be my personal teddy bear at night otherwise I'm a restless mess. Give me a pull-up while you're at it, eh?

With a sparkle in his ocean-blue eyes, he moves from the doorway then, letting me pass and walk to the living room where both Roxas and Axel are cuddled together on the couch, obediently watching Blue's Clues.

"I want to be Magenta," Axel comments, arms securely around Roxas's shoulders.

Roxas turns slightly with an incredulous expression. "But she's a girl! I wanna be Blue."

Axel raises his thin eyebrows and replies, "You know I'm pretty sure both of them are girls anyway, so it doesn't really matter. I just like Magenta 'cause she's somewhat red."

With an upside-down smile, Roxas relents, grumbling that it's not his fault he didn't know they were girls. Axel laughs at this, teasing his friend for his 'lack of intelligence'. I decide that this would be the perfect time to get revenge for my rude awakening this morning; I'm a lot more devious when awoken by children.

"So, Roxas, who _is _this person that you like?" I call to him innocently, looking genuinely interested at the surprised blonde.

The questioned one turns a bright red and stutters a little, avoiding Axel's suddenly eager gaze. "I-I… Didn't you say we were too young to like anyone?"

"Well, Sora proved me wrong so now I'm curious. Who is it?" I can almost feel my lover's glare on the back of my head, but I press on, having too much fun to mind.

"Yeah, Roxy, who is it?" Axel asks, practically jumping in his seat. Poor little Roxas looks very distressed as if a spotlight is on him and he's the only one on stage in front of a million critics, but that's when Sora steps forward to spoil my evil plot by sending Roxas to the kitchen with him or something. However, before Sora says anything to the flustered blonde, Roxas exclaims, "It's none of your business!" and he jumps up from the couch, sprinting to the bathroom. The door slams loudly, followed by a small 'click' of the bathroom lock.

I didn't expect the kid to take it _that_ hard. It's suspicious. However my contemplations are cut short when a small sniffle from behind forces me to turn around. The red head resting desolately on the couch determinedly looks at the screen while wiping his little button nose. "Way to go, Riku." Sora says sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He walks to the kitchen, probably to make some poptarts, and I walk over to the red head, deciding to ignore my brunette's comment. I ruffle Axel's hair a bit and say, "He's just being stubborn, trust me."

"No, he likes that little blonde girl in his kindergarten class… Namine, I think, was her name."

I think about this for a moment, and am about to say something supportive, but then he exclaims, "It doesn't matter anyway! I don't care…" His face adopts a pouty expression and lifts his palms up, igniting a fire in them like a lighter, on and off, on and off.

I chuckle slightly, knowing he's lying because he does care and even if I didn't know the kid well it'd be obvious by his frustrated reaction. "You'll be alright, kid," I say, thinking that this is the last considerate thing I will say to the two munchkins for the rest of the day, and head to the kitchen.

My nose is immediately assaulted by the smell of toast. Upon my entrance Sora looks up from the counter, pointing a buttery knife at me saying, "You shouldn't tease them so much."

"I don't feel comfortable with a knife pointed at me." I retort, "And anyway, Roxas deserved it for scaring me half to death upon waking. At least I didn't convince Axel to burn his clothes again or something."

Sora sighs, but nods in assent. "But remember, they are six and seven. You, my friend, are almost 20."

"Therefore still qualifying as an immature teenager."

"Hey, I wanna make the toast!" a certain red head cries, bursting into the kitchen with over-flowing energy.

"Last time you did that, you almost burned the house down!" Sora replies desperate, reaching the toast up over his head to keep it away from the over-eager child. Axel jumps up and down despite the uselessness of the situation, trying to snatch the toast.

"But- I've- been- practicing!" pants Axel in between jumps.

"He's gotten a lot better, actually," defends Roxas, suddenly walking into the kitchen coolly. Sora falls for it, glancing at Roxas worriedly before handing Axel the toast, who immediately takes off with it to the kitchen table, presumably to burn it to a crisp.

"I'll take your word for it, Roxas, but you'll be in trouble if he burns anything besides the toast."

"Why would I get in trouble?" complains Roxas, joining Axel at the table next to him, looking warily at Axel's Cheshire cat grin.

"Because you defended him. That's how life works." Sora replies, handing me a piece of toasted bread.

"You rather lecture them on the ways of life than tease them? At least teasing is good-natured. You'll scare them, Sora." I say to my brunette, giving him a sarcastic grin. When the 'double trouble' aren't looking, he sends me a rude hand gesture, eliciting a bark of laughter from me. "When are your moms coming to get you, anyway?" I ask the blonde and red head. Both of them shrug, heavily concentrated on their pieces of toast. I am happy to say that only Axel's piece of toast was unrecognizably burnt for once and I inwardly give him an approving smirk.

Two hours later, I am completely exhausted from wrestling, fighting, playing games, and yelling at them, but fortunately their mom's came to pick them up at 11, intending to take them to the park together to make up for their absence. Sora and I were glad to see them go for now, knowing we'd probably have them over again within a week.

"And you say I'm a kid," Sora comments, gazing at my limp self collapsed on the couch.

"You are, but I never said I couldn't be a kid either…" I retort, "And anyway, you were playing with us too. You actually pouted when you lost _Sorry_."

He laughs at that and nods, "I don't like losing, what can I say." Then he collapses onto the couch, half of him on me, but I don't mind. I wrap my arms around him, silently basking in his warmth and smell, drifting off into well-needed slumber. Mm… if this was the reward for babysitting every time, the kids would be here more often.

**A/N: Yes, this chapter was 100% pointless… but eh, why not? I've been around kids 24/7 almost for awhile now, so I just had to write something like this haha. More chapters up soon! :D **


	30. A Liar's Truths

_~A Liar's Truths~_

"You are lying to yourself."

"No I'm not."

"You love him."

"No, I don't!" said Riku angrily, glaring at his red-headed friend.

"It's obvious, man. Even Roxas can see it," Axel concluded, smirking triumphantly at the flustered silverette.

"There is _no way_ I love him. I'm not gay!" Riku exclaimed defensively, gesturing wildly with his hands.

"Oh really? Tell me one girl you've found attractive," Axel said skeptically.

"…"

"My point is proven. You're gay, and you love Sora. Got it memorized?" Axel crossed his arms and looked sternly at his friend. It's been obvious ever since everyone got back from their Kingdom Hearts adventures where Riku's heart resided. The only ones who didn't seem to get it was the people involved themselves. Sora was as clueless as he ever was, though he finally understood that he doesn't like Kairi anymore, which was a great relief to them all.

"But… Ugh. It's so much easier to stand it when you don't acknowledge it, Axel. Saying this just makes it worse." Riku confided, trying to explain his point of view that the red-head obviously didn't understand.

"Well if you love him, isn't he worth fighting for? Worth the pain, worth the wait? Love was never meant to be a picnic, yah know." Axel responded.

_Yes, Sora is worth all that, _Riku thought, _but that doesn't make me feel any better about it_. He didn't want anyone to know about his feelings either, but according to Axel it was already too late. With a frustrated sigh, Riku said, "Well, what about you? What makes you so knowledgeable about this?"

"I'm not," the red-head admitted coolly, "this is just my humble opinion. I kinda like the fight though; makes it much more interesting."

As much as the silverette hated to admit it, Axel had a point. Deciding to change the subject slightly, he asked, "So any luck with Roxas?"

For some weird reason, Axel laughed. "No, he's just as stubborn as ever. I'll get to him one day though, he can't evade me forever."

"What will you do if he falls for someone else?" Riku asked, genuinely curious now.

"It's his heart… He can give it to who he wants. And I can do the same… I know no one can love him as much as I do, so it's just a matter of time; got it memorized?"

"For someone who used to lack a heart, you sure know a lot about love."

"That's just it, though, isn't it? I know what it's like to have nothing, and so I'm just enjoying the fact that I _can_ love someone. Right now, that's enough for me, eh?" Axel raised his glass as if in a toast and drains the alcoholic beverage inside. Riku knew he wasn't drunk though; he has a high tolerance to the vile drinks (Riku didn't like them himself). He can drink almost as many as he wants without getting smashed.

"Oi! Axel! What did I tell you about drinking?" a familiar voice called out. Riku looked up from his glass of water to see none other than Roxas himself, storming over to the red-head next to him.

Axel rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. "Eh, but I wasn't drinking. I was having a glass of water and a nice chat with Riku, eh?"

"Ugh, you are such a liar, Axel!" exclaimed Roxas. "Well, come on. You promised me a game of pool earlier."

"Ah, that's right," replied Axel. And so, with a wink to Riku over his shoulder, the lovers-to-be departed, leaving Riku to his confused (but much clearer now) thoughts.

_For a 'heartless liar', he sure can reveal the hardest truths to the most stubborn hearts._


	31. Noises

_~Noises~_

(A sort of continuation of the chapter with chibi- Axel and Roxas)

"I like this one!"

"This one's better though…"

I watch the dynamic duo with dull interest, wondering whose bright idea was it to bring these trouble makers to the library of all places. I sigh, picking a book from the self in front of me. It really can't be helped; they're here, causing future hell for the librarians by rearranging books as they please and no matter what I say, they won't listen. I should've thought of that before, but Roxas pouts like Sora does and well….enough said.

"Guys, only take out one book at a time, will you? Put the book back in its place when you're done too." I attempt to enforce order desperately.

"Yeah, yeah, hear yah loud an' clear, Superior," replies Axel nonchalantly, entranced with the cover of the book he's holding. Of course, the book is called 'Burn' and the cover is effulged in realistic flames. This seven-year-old not only has irregular fire-truck red hair (not that I can comment on weird hair colors, considering mine's silver and has always been that way), but he also can control fire; he's a future pyro, if he isn't already that is.

Roxas remains silent, glancing at the library in general, probably amazed by the towering shelves of infinite books. Eventually, he looks to Axel and joins him in 'book searching'. I really wish they could just… stop touching things, but being the age they are, they probably can't help it. I mean, they can't even read, but I know they will pretend to anyway. I'll play along as long as Axel doesn't burn anything though.

Man, where is Sora when I need him?

Just then, gravity-defying brunette spikes make a peeping appearance around the corner, and finally Sora fully emerges onto my row with a grin on his face. "Hey," he says, glancing amusedly toward Roxas and Axel who're already fighting over some black book. I take the moment he isn't looking to silently adore how good he looks; clad in silver basketball shorts and a navy-blue shirt with red edges that lack sleeves, he looks patriotic and sporty, but somehow cutely and rousingly so at the same time. I swear if it weren't for the fact that I know he can't fly anymore, I'd claim he still has Tinkerbelle's pixie dust stuck to him.

"Hey," I reply, looking warily in the direction Sora did, wishing the chibi tornadoes were anywhere but here, "what took you?"

The azure-eyed teen shrugs, picking a random book on the shelf next to mine and reads the back. I mentally shrug back, going back to my own book searching, trying my best to ignore the giggles coming from Roxas, the victim of Axel's tickling practices. However, my attempts don't work and I swivel towards them, reprimanding, "Stop, you're making too much noise." I glare at them to try to get my point across, but both the cherubs barely look sheepish. With a blank, piercing expression toward me, Axel releases the red-faced Roxas, who runs away to the corner of the library. After Axel's eye's leave mine, he follows the blonde with a suddenly alight, grinning face, red hair waving me goodbye excitedly.

I sigh, but let them go, figuring not many people were in that particular corner so hopefully they wouldn't cause too much of a ruckus. Beside me, I hear a giggle. "You're such a mother, Riku!" Sora laughs, shaking his head.

Surprised, I say back smartly, "I am not!" Sora continues to chuckle, smirking in that infuriating way he does when he knows he's won something, but doesn't reply, scanning the shelves for more books. Somehow, having Sora here doesn't seem like much help now if he's just going to laugh at my attempts to control Axel and Roxas. Inwardly, I sigh again, glancing down to the stack of books in my arms. It really can't be helped, considering I need Sora's library card to check out anything; I've never been able to keep track of the laminated card. I've already replaced it four times, and have lost each one of them.

Well, so much for trying to be cool. I decide that five books are definitely enough to read and that there are too many noises coming from the general direction the munchkins went, so I abandon Sora and the many beseeching shelves to force myself over to the corner. I find Roxas and Axel there, half-wrestling-half-playing in one of the four powder blue arm chairs there. Deciding not to comment on their behavior for now, I sit down and amuse myself with their conversation until Sora comes and joins me in the corner to Hell.

"I- had the- book- first!" Roxas protests, trying to snatch a certain book from Axel's hands.

"Nuh- uh, I saw it first! You're just jealous I got a better book than you!" the red-head replies, outstretching his arm the fullest off the side of the chair, successfully evading Roxas's small hands.

"No, why would I ever be jealous of you?" the blonde asks exasperatedly. Finally, their struggling stops as Axel firmly holds Roxas back and smirks arrogantly. "Because I'm sexy, that's why." For a moment, Roxas just stares at him, mouth agape, obviously shocked at his boldness. Then slowly his cheeks turn bright red and he shoves Axel away angrily, or embarrassedly (most likely both), and exclaims, "Whatever! You're an idiot!"

"You didn't deny I was sexy though!" Axel says proudly, unaffected by the insult. His triumphant smile stays in place as Roxas sits on the arm chair next to mine, arms crossed, and a scowl firmly in place on his cherry-red face. Snickering, I watch their bantering without interference, wondering how they can stand each other if they fight like this all the time.

That's when Sora appears around the corner with three books in hand, collapsing into the remaining cushy armchair. With a lazy smile towards me, he whips out his phone, checking for any texts. I assume he finds none because he doesn't type anything; with an uncaring expression he flips the phone closed again and suddenly throws it at me. Despite the shock, I catch it instinctively.

"Hand me your phone," he demands with a smile. Deciding I don't care if he sees anything on my phone (I don't have anything to hide) I take out my own touch-screen phone from my jean pocket and toss it to him with a matching nonchalant expression. He catches it with ease and immediately sets to work, presumably to snoop around. Figuring there's nothing better to do, I lazily look around his phone for a couple minutes, navigating easily enough. However, I stop when I hear the most peculiar noise.

"Eraugh!" my brunette cries in a frustrated manner, concentrated on my phone.

"Uh, what was that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. He replies with another odd noise, looking at me and my phone oddly as if we're the aliens.

Across from Sora, Axel giggles at the silly display. He finds it so amusing in fact, he decides to join in on the fun. "Argularhum!" he gurgles, looking pleased with himself.

"Meowlaraumph!" Roxas says, rolling his eyes at his friend. Either Sora wants to meet the kids' challenge or he just finds this all amusing because he replies to them with a noise akin to a cat's purr, only more staccato. I look at him strangely as if he's utterly insane, but I can't deny I'm curious as to how he made such a peculiar noise. I try to do it myself, but I fail epically, causing them all to giggle. Everyone in our circle tries to imitate Sora's interesting noise, but none prevail save the brunette and he delights in it, making the noise as he continues to scour through the domain of my phone with wide, curious eyes.

"Do you usually make those facial expressions while texting?" I ask Sora, watching him curiously. His eyes narrow and widen again, smiling or frowning, raising or furrowing his eyebrows alternatively as if puzzled, frustrated, and/or triumphant.

"…Yes…" he says guiltily, looking up from my phone. "I was just trying to make a heart!" he continues brokenheartedly, gesturing to his occupied hand.

"I could help you, you know." I reply, walking over to him to recapture my phone temporarily to satisfy the needs of my weird-noise-making friend. But he moves the phone away, not letting me peek at the screen. Suspicious. But I can't get the phone back from him and so I give up, resuming my place on the chair, determined to go through Sora's pictures.

I don't get very far, however, when a certain little red-head sighs exaggeratedly, whining, "I'm booored…"

"Deal." I say to him, not even bothering to look up from the phone. Then suddenly, the smell of smoke faintly taints the air, and I'm forced to look up, panicked. Of course, the source is Axel. Something makes me hesitate though, so I bite back my reprimands for a moment as I watch him light a hovering flame over his palm. It's shaped like a heart, and he excitedly elbows Roxas who has decided to join him on the same chair again. Roxas blushes, but nods with a small smile. Axel continues to make shapes, like squares, keys, or letters of the alphabet and a few of Roxas's whispered requests.

Suddenly, the phone in my hand vibrates. Glancing to the screen, I read: 'New message from: Riku3' and I jumped to open it, knowing it was actually from Sora.

_Aren't they adorable?_

Glancing back to the surprisingly quiet children, I can't help but smile softly. Axel somehow makes his flame disappear and he pulls Roxas into his lap, resting his chin on the top of his friend's blonde head and wraps his arms around him as if it is the most natural thing in the world. Roxas unsurprisingly turns bright red, but for once doesn't protest and let's Axel hold him close. His expression gives away that he doesn't really want to be anywhere else anyway.

I reply to Sora: '_Yeah, they are. They kinda remind me of you and me, though we were more competitive.'_

Sora is a fast texter; not even a minute later, I receive his reply. '_You mean __**you **__were more competitive haha. But I think I won the contest for weirdest noises, eh?' _I attempt to hold back a chuckle, knowing he's right and instead of replying by text I just nod in an acknowledging way to Sora as if to say 'touché' with a small grin. That's when both of us burst into quiet laughter, earning identical confused expressions from the red-head and blonde.

Then Sora thinks fasts and makes his weird noise again, resulting the two munchkins to join us in laughter. Again they challenge my brunette's noise with each of their own, giggling uncontrollably when Axel makes a loud elephant noise that causes the librarian to finally see sense and kick us out. That doesn't bother the dynamic duo at all, however; they continue making weird noises all the way home.

Their moms were very disturbed to find that their 'brilliant angels' had started to speak gibberish when they came to pick them up later that afternoon. Instead of explain anything, I just pointed to Sora.

**A/N: Pointless, pointless… XD Comments? Ideas? I'm open to both :) Yes, I will be adding more Axel / Roxas to this because I think they are adorable, but Sora and Riku will definitely not be kicked out of ****the spot light, so don't worry, k? :D **

**Shout out to: ****Digimagic, Chasyn, AnimeFreak4261, Reihu, Maxx,RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, phantombullets240, and Skypiratelove for their reviews! :D**


	32. Peanut Butter

_~Peanut Butter~_

It is a peaceful Saturday morning; yes, I can hear the normal rush of traffic outside mine and Sora's apartment, the lack of children playing outside, and the humming sound of the air conditioner. Most people are either going out with their families or just waking up. I am of the later party, leaning against the kitchen counter, home to the coffee brewer. As a kid, I never liked the taste of coffee but the smell was too entrancing to resist, especially as I got older, hence my sip from my cup of coffee, milk, and sugar combination. I savor the temporary quiet and peace in the house, silently waiting for my lazy lover, Sora, to get up.

I'm always pretty quiet in the morning unless I'm rudely awakened (I get sarcastic in that scenario), not because I'm still groggy but because the world seems like a sanctuary in those few moments; it'd be a sin to disrupt the calm. However, I have come to understand that most people don't see the morning this way and just love to get up and move. My brunette is like this, as long as everything is in order.

"G'morning, Riku," he says brightly, sauntering into the kitchen. "'Morning," I reply quietly. As I take another sip of my hot beverage, Sora completely ignores the aroma of coffee and goes straight to the pantry. Luckily enough for me, the pantry seems to be fine because his smile remains intact; I inwardly sigh in relief. After a contemplative moment, Sora seems to find something he was looking for and reaches his arm into the organized food closet, bringing out our jar of peanut butter. I look curiously at my beaming lover and the red-and-brown jar in his hand, but utter nothing; the shards left of my morning tranquility still plead me to remain quiet.

Sora sets the peanut butter on the counter and leaves it there, coming my way even though the utensils drawer isn't near me. I toss him another confused glance to which he giggles in response to, reaching up and opening the cupboard next to me. He grabs his favorite mug and sets in onto the counter, killing my curiosity because the mystery is solved; coffee first, then get the spoon for the peanut butter. Sora takes the heavy pitcher of coffee and only fills his cup 1/3 of the way, leaving room to add his surplus amount of milk. This always struck me as a bit odd, but everyone has their preference for coffee so of course I haven't ever commented on it.

And so he joins me in my quiet coffee-drinking. "So, what's the plan for the day?" he asks with a significant glance.

With my free hand, I ruffle the hair at the back of my head in contemplation. "Got anything in mind?" Another sip.

"We could call up the group and go chill at the skate park," he offers, just as clueless as I am. That plan doesn't sound too bad… Axel is pretty good at skateboarding and is rather fun to watch. Roxas is pretty good too, though not as skilled as his red-head lover, not that it really matters. I can do a couple tricks, but I prefer watching. As for Sora… Just don't put him on a board, ever, unless you want to pay for his hospital bills.

As I'm thinking about the suggestion, Sora finishes his cup of coffee and sets it down. He leaves my side, reuniting himself with the peanut butter. He goes to get a spoon as I say, "Sure, sounds good enough to me. Once the park closes, we could rent some movies and bring them back here or something."

"Riku."

Sora has stopped, frozen in place, while peering into the peanut butter jar. "Uh… yes?"

"There's no peanut butter in here," he says, his voice lacking any tone at all. My eyebrows furrow, somewhat concerned.

"Well we were almost out anyway because you have a huge spoonful every da…" I drift off as a huge realization punches me in the face. Oh god. I know what this is. Sora has a spoonful of peanut butter _every day _meaning that without it, his balance in life will be overthrown, possibly causing the apocalypse. This must be one of Sora's OCD compulsions.

A small little cry of despair leaves Sora's throat, and before I know it, he's silently crying, staring in horror at the innocent empty jar of peanut butter. I'm equally horrified, wondering what I'm supposed to do. "S-Sora, it's ok! It's just peanut butter!"

"It's my addiction … I-I NEED it!" he explains, sobbing slightly. "Just like a cigarette addict would cry if he couldn't find _his _cigarettes…"

He continues to cry, and I stand there helplessly, bewildered as to how this morning turned out this way. Trying to gather my bearings, I think about my options. Either a) let him cry it out, or b) to go the store and get a huge jar of peanut butter before it's too late. One more glance at my distressed lover, and I know exactly what I'm going to do. I rush out of the kitchen and change into the first shirt and pants I find. I've never changed so fast in my life.

"You stay right there, Sora, I'm going to the store to get peanut butter, ok?" I call out to him, shoving my feet into flip-flops frantically. When I hear a sniffle and a watery 'ok…' reply, my hands grab the car keys and I'm gone, down the steps as if I were in football training and into the car, pushing the speed limit to the max.

When I get to the store, it's easy enough to find the peanut butter, but it's the lines to check out that make me cringe. I probably look like a nervous wreck; I didn't brush my hair before I left and glancing down, I realize I'm not even wearing my own shirt. It's neon lime green and tight against my skin, but I decide now's not a time to be self conscious. It's true a couple people glance my way as if worried (I mean, how could they not? Here's a guy who looks like he's about to have a nervous breakdown, with only a jar of peanut butter in his twitching hands) but I try my best to ignore them, nervously glancing at my watch, hoping Sora hasn't done anything drastic.

After five agonizing minutes, I'm finally the first in line. The cashier is a fat older-looking black lady but her understanding, considerate smile somehow relaxes me a little. "That's gonna be 3.50, sugar," she tells me with a Louisiana accent, her eyes sparkling as if she knows something I don't.

Hastily I reach into my pockets for my wallet. It's not in the regular pocket I keep it in, so I search the pocket on the other side; it's not there either. Back pockets? Both of them are empty.

Oh, dear Lord, you have_ gotta _be kidding me.

I don't have my wallet. Of course I don't; I was in such a rush to get here and just get the damn peanut butter that it never even crossed my mind. I look up hopelessly to my cashier, lost for words. How do I explain this without making a fool of myself? Unexpectedly, she laughs. "Oh, sugar, I already gotcha. Gotta baby coming, donchya? It's on me, don' worry 'bout it. You go on back home to Momma for me, k?" And without another word, she plops the peanut butter into a white plastic bag and offers it to me, her kind eyes sparkling brighter than ever.

I can do nothing but take the bag and blush harder than I think I ever have in my life. "Thank you," I mutter, staring at the floor as if ashamed. Pangs of guilt gnaw slightly at my heart for using the kindness of this old woman, but I really do need it. She laughs at my embarrassment and even though I've only known her for the span of a minute, I'm somewhat comforted. With a small, relieved smile, I thank her earnestly again and leave the isle, intending to high-tail it out of here with my saving grace, this jar of peanut butter.

When I get to the car, I can't help it; I burst into hysterical, relieved laughter. _Thank God for considerate women, and thank God Sora isn't pregnant._

_**Twenty Minutes Later**_

"I. Love. You." Sora says to me, beaming down at the smooth, thick, nutty sweetness, save the big scoop recently stolen from it.

"You better after all this," I respond honestly, collapsing in one of the wooden kitchen table chairs. "You know, I forgot my wallet when I left."

"What?" he exclaims, looking up from his peanut butter to gape at me in shock. "How did you get the peanut butter then?"

"My cashier thought I was having a baby; or she thought that I was buying for a pregnant woman with cravings, that is. So she took sympathy on me and covered it for me."

Sora's facial expression is priceless. "I-I'm not pregnant!" he denies, blushing much like I did earlier.

I laugh at his defensive response and reply, "I know, but you have to admit, the situation was pretty similar to a pregnant woman with extreme cravings. I looked pretty horrible too; people kept looking at me oddly."

Sora frowns. "Oh, I'm sorry, Riku. You didn't have to do all that for me…"

Psssh, yeah right. Chuckling slightly, I get up from my chair and pace over to him; I can't help but take him in to my arms when he's being so adorable like this. Breathing in the magnificent scent of his hair, I reply softly, "Yes I did. I love you; it comes with the territory."

By his facial expression, I can tell he doesn't know what to say. However, instead of using words, he reaches down and grabs the spoon he used only a moment ago. The poor peanut butter is once again partially decapitated but the weapon doesn't go to Sora's mouth. Instead, it's directed to mine. With a hesitant glance to Sora who urges me on, I take the bite of peanut butter, only slightly surprised by the unique flavor. Somehow, it reminds me of the way Sora tastes; I never really cared for peanut butter, but I think I discovered a new-found respect for it.

But alas, with this thick peanut butter in my mouth, I won't be able to tell him he has obsession compulsive disorder… Oh well, I can divulge it next time.

**A/N: I totally surprised you guys, didn't I? I didn't tell you it was an OCD chapter, bwahaha, aren't I evil? Lol anyway… You know, I really like this one for some reason. It's not extra-ordinary or anything, but I just… like this one XD Tell me what you think about it? :) **** You Amy! :D**


	33. Fears

_~Fears~_

Throughout life, people pick up many things; knowledge, regrets, happiness, sadness, burdens, enlightenments, moral. Depending on who you are and your situations, you can pick up any of these things and more. Friends, love, and enemies often conduct some of these lessons, but the only one who really controls anything is you; how you react, how you cope, and what decisions you make can change everything. As the keyblade's chosen, I believe somewhat in fate and destiny, but I also believe that just because something chooses you, it doesn't mean that everything you do was previously recorded and inevitable. The choices you make decide everything after something changes inside your realm of life.

My friend also believes in this. However, I know it haunts him constantly. No one is perfect; sometimes the choices we make aren't the best. Everyone makes mistakes, but a lot of people let it go after that, not even bothering to catch up to their wrongs and try to fix what they can. Most people don't repent. However, Riku is definitely not one of those people. He's made mistakes, but he made up for them tenfold. He's always been that way because he believes everything expects something great from him. The truth is it's just him; no one expects more from Riku than himself. Thus, his mistakes burden his heart and mark everything he does. He is free from his darkness, or rather he can control it perfectly, but no longer can he just… let himself go. He can't say 'fuck it' and do something reckless to have fun. Maybe that's just a part of who he is, but I think that it's more than that.

Really, I just wish he would smile more.

Light pink full lips upturn to shift unbelievably soft, pale skin and I swear time stops for me; if I were an artist, I'd draw him over and over again. Part of its brilliance comes from the rarity of its occurrence, but I still want to share it with the world. I see him smile genuinely more than most; around other people he closes up like a clam, hiding the pearl inside him. I don't think he knows its there like I do though. He doesn't see a lot of himself; he doesn't see how graceful he is, how beautiful he is, how smart, funny, and _amazing _he can be, especially when he's being himself.

That's why I claim I saw a miracle today. Lately, he and I have been asked to babysit these two little kids a lot, their names being Roxas and Axel. I swear to God they are the reincarnation of the Organization's numbers 8 and 13- in fact, I think King Mickey confirmed it, only they were given hearts. The ironic part is that the blonde and red-head are being taken care of mostly by Riku and me and that the two munchkins somehow ended up together even in another life.

But I digress; this particular day we were of course babysitting them for part of the morning and afternoon. I was dead tired that morning, so my considerate silverette lover let me sleep in (though I didn't know this till I actually got up of course) but eventually the blackness of slumber ripped off its many layers, becoming less and less suffocating. I awoke to the sound of the echoes of tinkling laughter. The sound beckoned me out of bed unusually quiet as my mind was curious. My feet padded softly across mine and Riku's room carpet and the tile in the hall till I found the source of the giggling.

For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating from my grogginess. Oblivious to me, Riku, Axel, and Roxas were playing in a huge pile of laundry in their pajamas still, their laps completely covered in random clothes, laughing at something. I don't think I've ever seen anything so adorable; little Roxas was grinning ear to ear with a pair of boxer hanging off his spiky hair, giggling at Axel. The devious red-head was in one of Riku's huge, green plaid button-up shirts that he wears in the winter, extending his smaller arms and flailing them about as if screaming 'look, look I can fly!' with a wide grin as the long sleeves waved about. Riku couldn't take it; in one of his big tee-shirts and blue plaid boxers accompanied by a head of tousled silver hair, he breaks out into one of his genuine smiles and laughs, throwing his head back a little.

Even in my sleepy state, it struck a chord in my heart. Just seeing Riku letting go and having childish fun with the two little munchkins would bring me to tears if I wasn't a guy. The laugh meant more than he'll ever realize, but I know the truth; he's let the ex-Nobodies into his heart, whether he knows it or chooses to acknowledge it or not. Digging deeper, it meant that the burden Riku put on his own heart was finally getting lighter. Eventually, it would disappear and Riku could become free. Of course, I'll be there every step of the way, supporting him.

He tells me all the time that I have wings of light, and he's terrified of the day that I decide to fly away. I tell him that my place is here, and there's no where I would want to fly away anyway. His fears are therefore in vain, but mine aren't. If I have wings, so does he, and he's more likely to fly off than I am. But I'm not going to anchor him here; if he wants to stay, he will. Hell, even if I did anchor him down, he'd do what he wanted. That's just how he is, and I admire him for that.

Truly, I don't fret over him 'taking flight' though. Every time he's wanted to leave, he outstretched his hand towards me, silently begging me to go with him. I believe one of my biggest mistakes was when I didn't take that hand long ago; now I wouldn't think twice.


	34. Fifty Facts By Riku

_~Fifty Facts, by Riku~ _

Sora, as we all know by now, has OCD.

Sora sings in the shower. Very well too; he was an alto in choir during high school

Sora's spiky hair comes from his dad's side of the family. His uncle has it, though his dad doesn't.

Sora talks in his sleep, which is fucking fantastic when he's having a sex dream, and hilarious when he's having dreams about the 100 Acre Wood.

Sora mewls like a kitten during sex, not that I'm complaining.

Sora is definitely not as innocent as everyone thinks. I'm not always the one who attacks the other for my libido; half the time, he's the one who starts it.

His favorite colors are purple and black, though I have no idea why.

Sora loves apples with intense passions, along with shoujo manga and anime.

Sora will sing 'I. Am not. A whore." around the house when he thinks no one else is there.

Sora can dance better than the experts on 'Dancing with the Stars'. No joke. He's seduced me with it on several occasions.

Sora loves the rain, and often dances in it. I usually join him.

Sora can occasionally have ten-minute-long laugh attacks, and when I tease him about it, he starts laughing hysterically as if he knows something I don't.

I think he's insane.

Sora talks to himself a lot… usually something about the color blue or candles…

I was Sora's first kiss, though that was before we got together; he wanted a teacher for kissing because he was going out with Kairi. Worst three months of my life.

Sora has glasses, but they break a lot so he doesn't wear them often.

Sora can stay up as late as anyone, but once he gets tired it reverts into a five year old, voice and all.

Sora eats his Oreos with peanut butter.

Sora is beautiful even when he cries.

In general, Sora is never _not_ beautiful.

Yes, Sora is the uke… most of the time –cough-

Sora's house smells like apples.

Sora has an annoying hyperactive Chihuahua. He's retarded.

Roxas and Sora often have sleepovers together, but Axel and I don't worry; them doing anything would kinda be like them masturbating, and that's just weird. They agree.

Sora can sometimes be stronger than me, much to my dismay.

Sora is very talented at making people happy and giving them advice.

Sora will cry during chick flicks. It's absolutely adorable.

Sora is afraid of ghosts and the like. Halloween is so much fun when Axel and I team up, eh?

Sora is very pretty in dresses.

Sora can walk in heels, gracefully. In fact, he dances better in heels.

Sora will watch me read or do my homework when he think I'm too busy to notice. I don't know why he does this though.

Sora adores Tinkerbell.

Baby got back. ;)

Sora lost his V-card to me, NOT Kairi. (I lost mine to him too, but he doesn't know that)

Sora is a natural-born cuddler; even before he knew he was gay, during our sleepovers, I'd always wake up with him in my arms, or with him hugging me tight like I was a teddy bear. I never minded.

Sora still won't admit to being gay.

Sora is obsessed with the 'Kingdom Hearts' series of video games. Together we've completed all the games that have come out so far.

Sora started masturbating at age 14.

Because of number 38, I think his libido needs to make up for that little bit of lost time and therefore he attacks me with it. It's unbelievably sexy.

Sora uses a girl's brand body wash, but hides it. He still thinks I don't know.

Sora's favorite past time when we were kids was playing knights. Before Kairi came into the picture, Sora would force me to be the princess occasionally.

Sora's mom didn't believe him when he told her he loved Kairi.

Sora is bi-lingual; he can fluently speak Spanish. I don't know when he learned it.

Sora has no idea how much I adore the ground he walks on.

Sora has no idea that his hips sways deliciously when he walks.

Sora has no idea that sometimes I'll purposefully pretend to fall asleep so I can watch him sleep when he drifts off.

Sora has no idea that I miss him even if he's only gone for a minute.

Sora has no idea that I've felt this way about him since we were only kids.

Sora has no idea that every time I think about him, I can't help but smile.

Sora has no idea how much I love him.

**A/N: I think you can guess what the next chapter will be haha. **

**Thank you guys so much for all your reviews! Shout out to: ****Digimagic, Chasyn, AnimeFreak4261, Reihu, Maxx,RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, phantombullets240, prince2345, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, and Skypiratelove**


	35. Fifty Facts By Sora

_~Fifty Facts, by Sora~_

Riku, as we are starting to suspect, might have bi-polar disorder. I found out it runs in his family the other day.

Riku watches Disney movies… and quotes them all the time.

Riku listens to post-hardcore and/or so-called 'emo music' but don't fret; he's really picky with music and only likes stuff that has a nice rhythm, melody, and beat.

If Riku's tired enough, you can wake him up, have a nice chat with him, let him fall asleep, and he won't remember a single word he said. Whenever I need to know something he won't usually admit, I know what to do.

Riku keeps a diary. I really want to read it, but his laptop has an unbelievably long password on it. So far, I've gotten the first four numbers memorized…

Riku's biggest weakness has to be food. He has a really fast metabolism so he can eat anything and never get fat, but it's still pretty funny when his eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning when I bring home Blue Bell Ice-cream. I seduce him with it all the time.

Riku's favorite color is light teal/turquoise.

Riku looks really… _pretty _when he lets me braid his hair, or when he gets lazy and puts it up in a pony-tail or bun. His fringe frames his face and softens his facial features; of course, I'm the only one who's ever seen him like that.

Riku does **not** top all the time.

Riku talks to himself all the time, especially when he's in a good mood and 'alone'. It's usually always about a recent manga or anime he was reading…

I think he's insane.

Riku doesn't really know how to dance, but when he does, it's adorable.

Riku is hilarious when he's pissed off. I'm not sure how to describe it, but he adopts this facial expression that clearly says 'will you shut the fuck up' and he becomes really tense as if trying really hard to resist strangling the person.

Ever since we got back from our Kingdom Heart's adventures, he's been such a push over. I can do anything to the kid (except deny him sex for a full week) and he'll never get annoyed. He says it's just because it's almost impossible to be mad at me, but I know better.

Riku still can't help but glare at Kairi when she hugs me or takes my hand (in just a friendly way).

Riku loves sword-fighting more than I do. I think it's because he used to adore ninjas and sword masters when he was a kid.

Riku used to watch the Power Puff Girls.

When teased, he'll most likely punch you, but if you push the right buttons, he'll blush and that makes it worth it.

Riku is the most protective and romantic lover anyone can ever have. And he says I'm a sap…

Riku's greatest fear besides wasps is his mom because she believes Riku is the cutest thing since pillow pets and loves smothering him in kisses.

I didn't know it for a long time, but Riku's been gay since he was a kid. He always thought girls were nothing but trouble; I'm not gay, but I have to agree with him. We still love Kairi though, just in a sisterly way.

Riku is a computer nerd; he had a World of Warcraft phase.

Riku loves algebra with passions, and hates reading class, yet he writes all the time.

Riku is jealous I got to fly in Neverland.

Riku's laugh is contagious.

Riku is adorable when he gets the hiccups.

In all of Riku's baby pictures, he's wearing a dress. I've kept a couple that he didn't burn.

Riku is collecting movies by Tim Burton. So far, he has the Nightmare before Christmas, Coraline, 9, and Corpse Bride; Kairi and I are getting him Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow for his birthday.

Riku has read all of the Harry Potter books at least twice each.

Riku is very self-conscious even though he has no reason to be.

Riku thinks I don't know that I know he watches me sleep sometimes. I figured it out when I was snapped out of my drifting-off state by a familiar hand stroking my hair. I let him get away with these habits still because it's the most comforting thing in the world.

Riku loves nature and going on walks across the islands alone to think, but he doesn't mind my company sometimes too.

Riku thinks he loves me more, but he's wrong.

Riku thinks I'm perfect, but he's wrong about that too.

Riku's piggybacks are fun, when he doesn't fall over.

Riku loves puppies but will never get one because they're 'too much work'.

Riku loves pineapples, peaches, and blueberries.

Riku's favorite drink is a cherry limeade smoothie from Sonic. I tease him about it since it's so fruity.

Riku looks fucking sexy in boxers.

Riku never _doesn't _look sexy.

Riku gives me boners by just looking at him, but I play hard to get sometimes because it's fun to watch him work for something.

Riku has some strange condition where when he'll get up, he'll get so dizzy and weak he'll randomly fall over. We have yet to unravel that mystery.

Riku doesn't know I envy his school-intelligence. He's gotten straight A's since Kindergarten.

Riku doesn't know I can't help but stare at him while he's wrapped up in work or writing. He's beautiful.

Riku doesn't know that I wish on stars every night, silently praying that he'll never leave me.

Riku doesn't know that I miss his hand in mine the moment he has to pull away.

Riku doesn't know part of the reason I love rain so much is because he's irresistible when the rain soaks his hair and clothes.

Riku doesn't know I've only had sex dreams of him; it used to disturb me when I was a young teen but now I understand.

Riku doesn't know that a single thought of him is all it takes and a smile instantly blooms on my face.

Riku doesn't understand how much I love him.


	36. ABC Pt1

_~ABC~_

**A: **Apples

"Sora, why do your bed sheets always smell like apples?" six-year-old Riku asked with adoration in his voice. Curled into covers, he waited for the cherub brunette's answer expectantly, jade eyes bright and wide with curiosity.

Five-year-old Sora looked excited to answer, as if proud he knew something Riku didn't, which was a rare occurrence considering Riku always seemed to know everything. After a dramatic pause, Sora exclaimed smugly, "Because A is for apples!"

Riku immediately burst into a fit of giggles and Sora looked on, not sure if he should feel offended or laugh too. Riku gasped out, "That's ridiculous, Sora!"

"Is not! A is for apples, and you know it!" Sora replied hotly, watching in outrage as Riku laughed harder, clutching the sheets for dear life. When the outburst didn't calm, Sora's anger broke and he started laughing too, sliding under the covers to join his friend.

Sora may be ridiculous, but he knew his alphabet.

**B: **Bubbles

Since they were old enough to gnaw on toys, Sora and Riku took bubble baths together. It's normal to them, but what is perhaps abnormal is that no matter how their moms tried, they couldn't get Riku and Sora to grow out of it.

**C: **Crap

"Crap," Riku states plainly, staring at the blank piece of paper with an equally blank expression.

"What's wrong, Riku?" inquires a girly, concerned voice. Riku doesn't even have to glance over to know its Kairi. He sighs, "This timed writing. You're supposed to write about the person you love most, but I can't decide who to write about."

Kairi would laugh at the silverette for being so unusually dense, but she holds back, knowing it'll just make him angry and frustrated. "Well," she starts patiently, "who do you care about the most?"

The red-head knows the answer before he even opens his mouth. "…Sora," he says hesitantly, "But it's not that I don't know _who _to write about, but it's just… the teacher… will read this…" he says in a rush, turning away to hide his flushed cheeks.

Realization dawns over Kairi like a blanket. Of course he can't write about Sora because even if he doesn't know his sexual feelings toward the brunette yet, it's still pretty… homosexual to write about it all. Being a guy, it's probably agony to think about. If only he were a girl…

"Crap," she states plainly, staring at Riku's blank piece of paper with an equally blank expression.

**D: **Dangerous

It was dangerous really, how close they walked together, hands brushing ever so slightly, but neither of them moved away.

It was dangerous really, how they seemed to do everything together. People thought it was odd to see them alone or without the other, but they also supposed it was odd that they were never seen apart. She thought it was dangerous.

It was dangerous really, how the unruly ADHD brunette would pay attention to everything the silverette said with eager anticipation. It was strange how the calm, collected silverette watched the brunette with interested, happy, sparkling eyes, almost as if he longed to be like the azure eyed teen. By that time, she knew it was inevitable.

It was dangerous really, how close their faces were. Riku went to grab the box of lucky charms, but so did Sora because he knew Riku liked them and he figured he would put them in the grocery basket for him. A long moment passed with silence, and no one moved, but their cerulean and jade eyes were communicating in a way that should be forbidden. It was dangerous.

It was dangerous when their lips met that night on New Years; maybe it was an accident, maybe it wasn't. Maybe the moment got to Riku's head, and so he grabbed Sora's arm and pulled him close. The chain of events just happened to end in a kiss. Neither would ever forget it, especially not in their dreams.

It was dangerous really, when Sora accidently admitted he loved his silverette best friend. He was two seconds away from taking it back from the look on Riku's face, but he never got the chance; a moment later, he was swept into a kiss by soft, vaguely familiar lips. It was dangerous when Sora kissed back fervently, but at the moment, neither of them cared.

**E: **Elephants

"What's your favorite animal, Riku?" nine-year-old Sora asks his best friend and designated partner, gazing excitedly at the live elephants in front of him. He had been waiting for the field trip for weeks, and now that he is actually at the zoo, he's having lots of trouble containing himself.

Riku doesn't answer for a moment but instead looks at the elephants' swishing of their tails. "Mm…" Riku contemplates, "Probably elephants."

Sora turns to look at the silverette, eyebrows furrowed. "Why is that?" he asks curiously.

Suddenly, Riku exclaims, "Because with those gigantic feet, you could crush anything! Even shadows!" He resumes a battle stance, pretending to squeeze a ball of… energy? between his hands with gritted teeth and a concentrated look.

Sora stares at Riku incredulously for several long moments before combusting into tummy-clutching giggles. Still, he manages to gasp out, "Riku, you play waaaay too many video games!"

Riku pouts, standing straight again and crosses his arms, glaring at a nearby ant hill as if it had done him a serious offence. He mutters, "It's not my fault… Nii-san(1) is the one who plays them all the time…"

Sora's giggles subside as he glances at his sulking companion. To amend the silverette's mood, Sora walks over to him, getting into his face and smiling wide, saying "It's ok, Riku; I like elephants too!"

"Boys, this way!" the teacher called, waving them over closer to the whole class. Riku smiles at Sora as they share a significant glance. After counting down from three inwardly, they race back to the class, laughing as they try to stomp on the shadows as if they were heroes.

Nii-san in Japanese means 'big brother'.

**F: **Fuck

It hit Sora like a basketball to the face; he is in love with his best friend. He is in love with a sex-god, revered by all for his grades and general badass demeanor. He even has his own fan club. All the girls who have asked him out have been turned down, however. If Riku turns down the prettiest girls the school can offer, how is _Sora _going get his feelings reciprocated?

"Fuck," he muttered. Love is a battle field, but Sora just entered yet another full-out _war_.

**A/N: I just needed to test myself by doing some actual drabbles… That's what this series was GOING to be, but I have a habit of…not… being able to control myself. Lol. So, I'm doing an alphabet kind of thing. Once the chapter gets to 1,000 words or so, I'll post it (if it's a part of the alphabet thingy anyway) but it may be interrupted by the regular one-shots I do, I'm not sure yet. Hope you like it anyway! :D **

**I just wanted to thank you guys, yet again. I have 84 reviews on this story and just… wow. A lot of you have subscribed, or favorited the story too if you haven't reviewed… All of that just means so much to me –holds back over-emotional tears of happiness-. **

**So, SHOUT OUT TO: ****AnimeFreak4261, Digimagic, Chasyn, MsSupreme, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, and Skypiratelove for all the reviews :) No joke, they make me smile ridiculously XD**


	37. ABC Pt2

_~ABC~ (Pt.2)_

**G: **The Game

A crumbled up paper skid across Riku's desk quietly, and the silverette paused from his work, wondering why this interruption occurred and who caused it.

_I guess the only way to find out is to look at the note…_ He thinks, taking the paper into his hands and carefully spreading it out flat, hiding it under his desk to read.

In familiar scrawled rounded handwriting, it said: "_You just lost the game. ~Sora 3"_

_I hate him…_

**H: **Halloween

In all honesty, it was completely coincidental. They just _happened _to pick corresponding outfits; who knew Riku would pick a bad-ass master/mad hatter costume, and that Sora was pressured by Kairi to dress as a slutty maid? Riku sure as hell didn't.

With Sora looking like _that_, how was Riku supposed to contain himself for the whole night of trick-or-treating? Weren't they a little old for this? Not on Destiny Islands. They and the whole gang (Axel, Roxas, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, and Kairi) were going to a festival anyway. It's tradition, just like it's tradition for everyone to go all out for costumes on Halloween. The silverette isn't sure that's such a good thing now.

Sora simply looked sultry and stunning, decked up in the shortest dress Riku's seen anyone wear; it was, of course, black and white and splayed out at the hip like a tutu, black on top and white ruffles underneath. The corset part of the dress was low cut and intricate, full of little bows and frills with ruffled sleeves to hold it all up. Riku wasn't sure how the garment managed, considering how much shoulder and chest was exposed. Sora's skin has always been beautifully soft yet tan, and under the moonlight it summoned the silverette more than ever. Because of the dress, Riku was really close to answering its call. Also, since the dress was so short, Sora's _shaved _legs were clearly on display, though most of it was covered in striped black and white stockings, which stopped above the knee but were held up with suspenders that disappeared under the frills of the dress. Finally, the last touch Kairi probably contributed was the killer black platform shoes.

When Riku was done gawking at his lover's body, his eyes went to the brunettes face, and for a moment, the silverette could've sworn he forgot who he was. Sora was wearing _make-up_; how else could his face glow like that? A little blush was brushed across his cheeks, though Sora wouldn't need the help when he figured out that Riku was shamelessly staring at him. The azure-eyes Riku always appreciated were also tampered with; because of the addition of eyeliner and mascara, the ocean-blue eyes stood out dazzlingly and were further feminized by the conjoining long eyelashes.

Sora was talking to Roxas (who had been forced by Kairi to dress up like a kitten) when familiar strong arms encircled his waist. A husky voice whispered into his ear, "After this festival, you are _mine._" Eyes widened, Sora spun around, intending to berate the silverette for sneaking up on him like that, but as soon as he _saw_ said lover, any coherent thoughts died upon the instant.

Sora wasn't the only one who was looking irresistible that night. Riku looked like an 1800's school professor with a twist; his black slacks were cut up at the knee and in places were dusty white as if he had wiped his hands on them after drawing with chalk. The pockets were turned outside the jeans to reveal a grey-violet pattern that matched some of the many different colored patterns on his vest that partly covered up his white tux-shirt. The sleeves of the shirt were unbuttoned at the end and were some-what loose on him, complimenting his broad shoulders. The shirt itself was somewhat loose too and unbuttoned a little bit at the top, revealing a patch of tantalizingly white, smooth skin that Sora desperately wanted to lavish. Traveling up further, Sora was surprised to find Riku's hair was braided back, but loose strands of hair still framed his face rebelliously; it contributed to the costume well. The last touch seemed to be Riku's forest green top hat with a pink ribbon wrapped around it which held the peacock feather, Ace of Spades playing card, large glass needle, and piece of paper with burnt edges with the fraction '70/3' printed on it in place.

When Sora reached Riku's eyes (bespectacled by round, golden non-prescription glasses), he could do nothing but sputter, but when he finally got his bearings back together, he responded, "What do you mean?" even though he knew perfectly well what his lover meant.

Before Riku could reply, Kairi called to them, "Come on, you two! The festival has already started!" and so with no other choice, they followed, both trying their best to avoid looking at the other for the sake of their sanity.

However, both knew it would be a _great _Halloween when they got home.

**I: **Ice

It's absolutely freezing in the darkness; once you truly step in, everything you loved, everything you held dear or cherished turned to ice in your heart, just like the blood in your veins.

It's ironic because you never liked the cold. Your hair is already silver and your whole personality is already cool and collected; you just long for warmth, something genial and smiley. All you want is Sora, but that jealousy caught you on fire and led you slowly to the cold while the burning heat ate everything you ever felt up.

But now you're in the icy darkness, fighting heartless unceasingly alongside the King, shivering fervently while thinking of Sora constantly. Where is he now? Is he reunited with Kairi? Does he love her? Does he miss you? What does he think of you?

For just one second of light, and a single answer to your many questions, you'd give up everything to the ice if you had to. Just to see his smile again, just to see that sparkle in those beautiful ocean-blue eyes.

"We'll get out of here, Riku, just keep fighting," the King supported you, giving an understanding smile.

The ice never looked so endless and scary, but he'd fight it away for Sora.

**A/N: Sorry, I know Halloween was more like mini-essay than drabble, but it was just too good to resist… I love Halloween and extravagant costumes… :) thank you so much for the support! :D Tell me your favorite of the ABC series so far? Updates soon!**


	38. ABC Pt3

_~ABC~ Pt.3_

**J: **Juliet

Riku always thought that if Sora could ever love him back, they'd be like Romeo and Juliet; absolutely doomed. Between all the misunderstandings they were sure to have, the jealousy, and the tragic break up, one of them would most likely die. The silverette definitely agreed with himself that he would be the one to just randomly keel over, and with Sora being the way he is, he would blame himself and possibly commit suicide. They were probably better off as friends… so why can't he make the butterflies go away? Why can't he stop staring at the beautiful brunette and look away like any other normal _straight _guy? Maybe someday, Sora will realize how much he really does love him. Maybe they could learn to overcome their differences.

Sora always thought that if Riku could ever love him back, they'd be like Romeo and Juliet; absolutely and tragically _perfect. _Maybe the light and darkness were never meant to be together, but they are. 'Even in the darkness place, there is always light…' and 'even in the brightest light, there is always a little darkness' like yin and yang. You can't have one without the other. Sure, they would have some disagreements, but love triumphs over all. They searched all over the worlds for each other; Sora would do anything for Riku. Maybe someday, Riku will realize how much he really does love him. Maybe they could learn to overcome their differences.

**K: **Kairi

She's been down this beach so many times… but there's something- No. Nothing is wrong, there's nothing missing. Her mind knows her past, so why does her heart scream so loudly? There was somebody… no, two people… She misses them. Why can't she put a name or face to these imaginary people? What were they like?

She knew something about them that they didn't know themselves. They fought to protect her, but from what? It wasn't on this island… it couldn't be. But she has been here her whole life, right? They were perfect for each other yet opposites, like night and day. Like light and darkness…

Light. Darkness. Sky, land. Sora… and Riku. Sand scrapes across her knees uncomfortably as the memories rush back to her in a flash, so overwhelming that tears pour down her face. Her boys; where are they now? And why had she forgotten them?

**L: **Lawless

The ways of the world have gotten so overused. Boy meets girl, they 'fall in love', but of course then _something _goes horribly wrong and hearts are broken. A month later, both of them find someone new, and the cycle repeats.

After everything Sora and Riku had been through, that 'law of love' seemed so… unappealing. They needed so much more than a fling and an attraction. They needed that deep connection; someone who _knows _them, inside and out, flaws and talents, and loves them despite everything. They needed something lawless, something pulling them so hard that they can't help but fall. Something unique, something different.

One day it suddenly hit them that what they needed was each other.

**M: **Maybe

Due to the lack of beds in their residence in 'Radiant Garden' where they are staying to help renovate, Riku and Sora had to volunteer to sleep together. It was either that, or they share a bed with Yuffie, Kairi, or Aerith. Considering how awkward that would be… well, you get the point. At least Sora and Riku know each other really well and used to have sleepovers all the time anyway. Half of the time they'd end up cuddled together anyway… not that that _meant _anything…

Sora looks down as a small blush rises on his cheeks; there was this particular sleepover from a couple years ago that might be questionable... Riku had been half asleep and Sora was curious…

"_Riku, do you love me?" he had asked while cuddled safely in the older male's arms._

"_Nn.." he started to reply sleepily, "Maybe."_

For some reason, Sora never forgot that night. Just thinking about it makes his heart race uncontrollably and these strange butterflies erupt in his stomach. Good thing Riku's eyes are already closed; is he asleep? This isn't like those past sleepovers; sure, they are close (they have no choice; it's two growing boys in a narrow twin-sized bed) but they aren't touching. Curiosity nips at Sora's heart, just like last time, and so he can't help but ask, "Riku?"

"Hnn…?" he replies tiredly. The silverette doesn't open his eyes or make any movements which Sora uses as encouragement; Riku's too far gone already to remember the question or the answer, right?

"Do you love me?" he barely whispers, feeling his cheeks flush all over again. For several moments, silence covers the room tensely and he wonders if he didn't say it loudly enough for his friend to hear. He opens his mouth to ask it again, but right then Riku's turquoise eyes open slowly, staring right into Sora's.

All the brunette can do is stare back, horrified that Riku is _awake_ and will probably _question _him about all this. His thoughts ricochet around his mind in a panic, trying to find something to say to break the silence and change the subject. However, right before Sora can stutter and laugh his way through some made up explanation, Riku says just as softly, "Do you want me to?"

All Sora's frantic thoughts immediately die. "W-what do you mean?" Sora replies bashfully, wishing he were anywhere else but _here_ with a shirtless Riku, under the covers, so close they could feel each other's body heat. Any closer and Riku could probably hear Sora's throbbing heartbeat. The thought is terrifying.

"Do you want me to love you?" Riku asks bluntly, staring straight at the flustered brunette.

Sora's panic resumes. "Wh-what? That th-that is… I-" Unable to stand the jumbled stuttering, Riku decides to act on impulse and leans over to Sora's face, catching the brunette's lips in a soft kiss. Sora is too shocked to do much of anything other than just stay there as his 'unexpectedness tolerance meter' overflows. What is this feeling? Those butterflies are exploding almost happily, but his lips are on _fire _and he's suddenly way too aware of everything, like he'd been struck by lightning.

But then Riku pulls back. He whispers, "Hate to tell you this, but I'll love you even if you don't want me to." Even he sounds nervous now, not meeting Sora's eyes as if he's vulnerable. Sora realizes he is; Riku is capable of pranks, but this would be too far, even by his standards.

Something that he had tried to lock away in his heart suddenly frees itself and takes over; Sora stretches up and takes Riku's lips with his own this time, answering Riku's previous question without words.

Does he want Riku to love him? Ha, maybe.

**A/N: Heh… this is like a test of my creativity I swear. It's not as easy as I thought, coming up with a word to match the letter and then coming up with an idea to MATCH said letter… But of course, for you beautiful readers out there, I will most definitely pull through it :) My favorite out of this set is Lawless… it's exactly how I feel about relationships haha XD **

**Comments?:) What's your favorite so far, eh? :D R the blue link calls you to review…**


	39. ABC Pt4

_~ABC~ Pt.4_

**N: **Nevershoutnever

In consideration to music, there isn't much that I don't like. Sometimes I can't listen to something because it has too much screaming (I have to be able to sing SOMETHING) or it's too simple musically (bring in the drums, guitar, bass, more than one vocal and whatever else you got!). Also, I can't stand the music if it's too happy or if it reminds me of The Beatles. Please… Hold all 'The Beatles are absolutely amazing' comments to yourself; I don't want to talk about it, seriously. That's not the point I'm trying to convey here.

Continuing on, my best friend and lover, Sora, and I have a lot of things in common. We can always have fun together (I'm not talking about in bed, though there's that too) and entertain each other. We grew up together so we know each other like the back of our hands. However, we are also very different. Listing the differences would take way too much time, but there has never been something that I abhorred that he loved. There has never been something he hated that I adored. Sure, there are things that he obsesses over that I don't care about (and same thing for the other way around) but we've never completely… disagreed about something.

Now I introduce the band 'Nevershoutnever'. I'm sure a lot of you out there have heard about him or listen to him. He's in the category of 'too happy and reminds me of the Beatles'. To prove I like all kinds of music, I've known a couple old songs by NSN and have them on my MP3 (like 'Lost it') and yes, I do listen to it occasionally when I'm in a good mood, but some of his music… Such simple music in the background and this kid talks way too much with way too many smiles on his face. I don't understand why, but it makes me tense and somewhat angry.

Sora absolutely loves this band. He's been singing it constantly, and as much as I love his voice, it's been driving me insane. It's ironic considering how much the music matches Sora's personality. Sora pointed out that if I love him, how can I hate NSN? I replied I don't hate it, it's just annoyingly happy. He pouted for awhile after that.

So, here I am, typing away on my laptop, distantly listening to several different NSN songs coming from mine and Sora's bedroom for about the millionth time. I've started to catch myself singing them in my head, or humming them around the house. If Sora has noticed, he hasn't said anything. I'm not sure if the songs are growing on me, or if it's because Sora's singing them that I'm learning to like certain parts. I'm hoping it's the later because I _really don't like these damn happy songs!_

"You make me happy, whether you know it or not," a familiar voice sings, "we should be happy, that's what I said from the start!" My favorite brunette waltzes into the room, a big smile on his face as he continues to sing and dance to the upbeat music. I inwardly face-palm, hoping I can ignore him till he stops singing.

But he continues, "I am so happy, knowing you are the one that I want for the rest of my days. For the rest of my days. You're all of my days." By this time, he's danced all the way over to me, his trademark smile still firmly set onto his bright, beautiful face. Still being obstinate, I look up at him, grimacing in a way to silently say, "why, Sora, why; I am in great pain". In reply, he giggles at me and leans forward. For a moment, I think he's going to kiss me so I do nothing to stop him, a curious yet blank facial expression on my face. Unfortunately, he doesn't indulge me with his lips; instead, he picks up my laptop, causing my eyebrows to shoot up in surprise, and sets it next to me on the couch. Before I have time to figure out his intentions, he's grabbed my hands and pulled me up.

"You're lookin' so cool, you're lookin' so fly," he sings on, forcing me to dance slightly despite my disobedience. "I can't deny that when I'm staring you down, right dead in the eye, I wanna try to be the person you want, the person you need." Have I ever told you how adorable Sora is? The innocent expression he's wearing as he sings makes my heart fall apart; I start cooperating more with his dancing guidance, wondering why I had been protesting in the first place.

"It's hard to conceive that someone like you could be with someone like me." At first, he started the line normally, but as the sentence went on, he stopped dancing, coming up really close to me, and practically whispered the last words of the phrase, looking at me meaningfully.

It's too much; I pull him to my chest and kiss him sweetly, loving how he automatically kisses me back. When we break apart, he just smiles at me with that meaningful expression and sparkling eyes, so I ask him, "Why'd you stop? We didn't even get to the chorus."

Instead of replying, he glances up at me coyly and kisses my jaw, muttering loud enough for me to hear, "I thought you didn't like NSN."

Feeling surprised again, I say the first thing that pops into my head, "Eh, maybe it's growing on me."

"Mm, maybe," he says, wrapping his arms around my neck, seeming to go in for another kiss. Before he does, however, he continues, "but I think it's just me." Then he crashes his lips onto mine, and by the time I get a chance to reply, my train of thought is long gone, replaced with thoughts of the beautiful brunette in my arms.

Sora was probably right anyway.

**A/N: Irony: this one is ****exactly ****1,000 words long, no joke. Because I don't want to post just one and call it part four, I'm going to continue on. You're welcome guys, lol.**

**O: **Ocean

These waves have seen it all; they've watched the fickle humans grow in spirit, mind, and knowledge. They watched the humans light fire, cut down trees, and build themselves to the top of all industries. They watched as the stars above them go out, one by one. They watched as the world fell apart, and it trembled, for the first time in its existence, afraid of the outcome. But that one human; the young one with unnatural hair and stolen ocean eyes; he saved the islands and saved the waves. Now the waves never could regret giving this boy her color for his eyes.

He disappeared for awhile, that boy, but when he came back, he brought the destroyer with him. At first, the waves were outraged; how dare the savior bring back that monster? But when they took a closer look, the waves realized this wasn't the same destroyer. They shared the same soul and body, but they are no longer the same person. There's something different in his eyes, as if he took a part of the ocean within him too, and so now he understands.

Looking at their savior, the waves see something new in his eyes too; peace, maybe? No, something other than that, something more important. It's so normal, yet so extra-ordinary. The silverette destroyer has always had this look in his eyes; did they somehow learn to share?

The two boys raced each other by the waves, and she watched curiously, trying to figure out how their eyes held such a bond. How did it get there? Her question is answered when the savior-boy tackles the silverette destroyer, causing them to crash into the sand. Instead of rage, the silverette laughs, flipping them until he is dominant, tickling the brunette almost till he cries.

The waves have seen this way too many times, and therefore immediately catch on; it's that silly human emotion that they call love. Snorting (the tumbling waves crash), the waves recede from the silverette and the brunette, uninterested in them for now; they're back to being humans instead of heroes.

**P: **Popped and Priceless

An echoing bang ricocheted around the room, causing Riku to jump and break his concentration from the book he was reading, immediately producing an annoyed feeling in his stomach. _What the hell was that? _Glaring up, he meets the sheepish gaze of Sora, whose right hand holds the remains of a popped red balloon, received from little Axel's 8th birthday party.

"S-sorry," Sora says, smiling guiltily. He looks at the balloon with a bewildered expression, as if he doesn't understand why it popped. For a moment, Riku just stares at the deflated rubber, not sure what to say. What is Sora doing anyway? Especially with a balloon?

Smirking slightly, Riku chuckles, lifting the book in his hands back up to his face to begin reading. Before he does, however, he can't help but comment, "At least it was the balloon and not last night's condom."

After a moment of silence, Riku peeks over the top of his book and smiles triumphantly at Sora's exasperated, beet-red face; absolutely priceless. Where's the camera when he needs it?

**Q: **Queer

"Roxas, what am I going to do?" Sora moans, tummy-side down on his bed, considering how painless dying from pillow suffocation would be.

"Uh, nothing, Sora. It was just a dream, calm down." Roxas replies evenly, yet looking unusually towards his brother, wondering how they were related.

"B-but, this dream keeps coming _back _and I'm supposed to like _Kairi _and _oh God _what do I _do?"_ the brunette rants. He looks desperately toward his blonde brother, trying to convey the deep distress he's currently in. Knowing his brother well enough, Roxas sighs and leans against the brunette's disastrously messy desk, staring at the floor as if it had all the answers.

Sora says nothing, knowing Roxas is thinking deeply about something; hopefully that something will make everything better. Sora looks up from his blankets when Roxas sighs again, watching him rub his hands over his face, obviously thoroughly stressed.

_Might as well just say it and get it over with, _the blonde thinks; cringing inwardly, he says bluntly, "Sora, have you ever wondered if you were gay?"

Sora's whole demeanor freezes as if stunned and Roxas moans inwardly; why did _he _have to be the one to teach him about all this? "What?" the brunette asks intelligently.

Rolling his eyes, Roxas continues, "Gay, homosexual, queer; have you ever thought about yourself being gay?"

Sora sputters, his cheeks turning bright red while his eyes stare pointedly at the floor. "N-no," he lies, not sounding very convincing, even to himself.

Roxas snorts and comments, "You are a horrible liar." When Sora doesn't respond, he continues, "Its fine, Sora; no one's going to condemn you. Just accept it; you like guys. You had a crush on Kairi when she had short hair and no boobs; now she's healthily developed and girly, so the attraction is gone. And that's ok."

"B-but…" Sora starts, but trails off, not sure how to argue. Roxas is right, but this is a lot to take so suddenly. How can he be so sure he's gay? It was just a couple (cough) dreams about Riku! It's normal; they're best friends, nothing more. And he likes it that way. …Right?

"You'll get it eventually," Roxas says plainly, already disinterested. He exits the room, leaving Sora to his muddled thoughts, intending to go hang out with Axel somewhere in the mainland that has sea-salt ice-cream.

Sora knows he won't get anywhere with this by himself; picking up his cell phone, he dials the number of the only person he knows that could possibly be understanding and wouldn't laugh at him. When Riku's low voice picks up, "Hey Sora, what's up?" on the other side of the line, Sora suddenly feels much more at ease, as if the problem he's experiencing isn't nearly as bad as he originally thought.

Feeling brave, Sora asks, "Hey, I know this sounds weird, but what would you say if I said I thought I was queer?"

**A/N: I'm trying to go back to my more funny ones, so hopefully the next 'part' will be funnier too:) Comments? This part is 2,000 words now, but I did my fair share of letters so it's all good, right? Haha, well, soon, I'm taking a week-long trip to Florida, so I don't know if I'll be writing during said week so I'll be attempting to update as frequently as my muse can take this week before I leave… Yeah.. I'm tired and rambling, sorry haha. R&R (I'm at 91 reviews holy shiznat!) and you shall get a cyber-glomp. :D**


	40. ABC Pt5

_~ABC~ Pt.5_

**R: **Rain

_Of course Riku would be the one to sit on the edge of the dock while it's pouring outside. _I think, watching my best friend from my bedroom window. _Should I go convince him to come inside…? _Sighing, I get up from my unmade bed, scoping the room for my shoes, socks, and umbrella. Glancing outside again, I realize an umbrella would be pointless in this violent weather. So instead I pinpoint my socks and put them on, jumping around to accompany them with my least favorite pair of vans.

By the time I get outside, the weather has done nothing but gotten worse, but I still work my way toward my silver-haired friend, thinking of what I'm going to say to this insane masochist. I get distracted however when my feet feel wet; didn't I put on shoes? Looking down, I realize the water has seeped through my shoes and socks, and I feel relieved that I put on _these _vans as wet sand sticks to the sides of them and get inside the shoes themselves.

My steps make a soft 'thump' as I walk down the wooden dock. Riku doesn't hear me, or at least I don't think he does, because he doesn't turn around or move at all for that matter. Looking around, I shiver involuntarily; it's somewhat terrifying out here with the sea raging all around you and splashing you even from your place above it. The sky is ominously dark and grey, but Riku isn't looking up. I can't see his face, but I just know he's looking straight ahead, probably thinking too much, as usual.

Sighing gruffly, I finally ask, "Riku, what the hell are you doing out here?" He's absolutely soaked to the bone, clad in a light, grey hoodie and blue jeans with his hair plastered flat and shimmering.

He turns around as if surprised and responds, "I could ask you the same thing."

"I came out here because of you, idiot. Come inside before you get sick." I say, glaring at his cluelessness.

He doesn't reply for a couple moments, turning back to the ocean as if soaking up the last few moments with it. Then he gets up with a grunt and joins me where I stand. "Alright," he says. His face is so calm and serene, despite the cold, as if he feels perfectly at home in this stormy, disastrous weather. I realize he probably does.

"You idiot," I say, rolling my eyes slightly. But I still take his hand and stalk off with him tripping slightly behind me, fighting past the rain to take my silverette inside and force him into the shower before he gets a cold.

Why do I love this idiot?

**S: **SpongeBob

"Are you ready kids?" the T.V. exclaims; it's 9 A.M. on a bright Saturday and out of some cruel twist of fate, Riku and Sora ended up babysitting (you guessed it) Axel and Roxas for the day while their mothers take a trip to Vegas.

Sora and Riku sit next to each other on the couch, both rather exhausted (for reasons your imagination can easily guess) despite the 'long, wholesome night of sleep' they were able to get last night. As usual, Axel and Roxas pay them no mind, giggling and singing along with the SpongeBob theme song. As Sora becomes more aware of his house being invaded by two children, and the fact they are watching cartoons, he raises one eyebrow; when exactly was the last time he watched _SpongeBob? _It's a classic! Leaning onto Riku's shoulder, he amusedly watches the show while Riku watches _him_ curiously.

Smirking slightly, Riku looks to the T.V. like his lover, absentmindedly thinking about all the times Sora and himself would watch this show despite being teenagers when they were bored. _Heh… _Sora would just explode in laughter at the silly jokes and dark humor the show entailed.

"Uh… Patrick? You just ate it," SpongeBob from the T.V. says, causing Axel to snicker, "I would just burn him," and Roxas giggles in reply, "You just like burning things."

"Shut it, Roxy," Axel pouts. Sora snorts and Riku smirks. By the end of the show, all of them are laughing, and when the T.V. cries, "SpongeBob: coming up next on NICKELODEON!" they all cheer, all snuggled up together on the couch.

"Does anyone want popcorn?" Sora asks, grinning up at Riku. He looks to the Axel and Roxas for an answer, the blonde of course being in Axel's arms as if he's a teddy bear.

"Naaaah," replies Riku for the kids, "We wouldn't want you to miss the start of the show."

Sora grins, turning and kissing Riku's jaw to show his appreciation. Axel and Roxas watch the scene in awe before Axel asks Roxas quietly, "Why don't you do that?"

Roxas blushes, stuttering slightly, "I-I'm not your boyfriend…"

Axel rolls his eyes and declares, "One day, I'll fix that problem." If it's possible, Roxas's face becomes redder and he scowls, ordering, "Whatever, just watch SpongeBob already."

**T: **Tripped

Have you ever had one of those moments where you're so shocked, so embarrassed, yet so relieved you're alone? Riku managed to get the first two.

He was in one of his weakest moments; he just woke up from a 12-hour slumber, so the only thing in his mind was to get up and hopefully find Sora in the kitchen. He felt rather discomforted waking up alone, but of course he'd never admit that.

So he started his way down the hallway, ruffling his hair, trying to get it and the evidence of sleep out of his eyes. Then suddenly, something stopped his feet from moving forward; it was the floor which rapidly rushed up to him until his whole body met the cold, hard tile, causing all the air in his lungs to burst out. For several moments all he felt was shock and pain while air rushed back into his lungs laboriously. In the distance, he heard Sora call out, "Riku, what was that?" and the pattering of footsteps coming his way.

A shadow- Sora's shadow- covered the silverette and he looked up bewilderedly, still wondering what exactly just happened. Sora's facial expression matched his own as the silence stretched on, but then the brunette's lips quirked up. Little noises escaped the confines of Sora's throat and that little smirk kept getting bigger, until finally, the brunette burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter.

"I… you… haha! I…can't believe…. Tripped…" he exclaimed through his laughter. Riku continued to look at him as if he were insane until Sora was on the ground with him, tears streaming down his cheeks. Somehow this snapped the silverette out of his daze and his wincingly rose up slightly, resting on his elbow.

"It's not funny," he muttered angrily, glaring at his laughing companion. Sora sobered up a bit, still chortling a little when he replied, "Hah, I'm sorry Riku but I've never seen you trip before… It's not like you." He chuckled some more after that, rising to his feet.

"Tell me about it," Riku said, moving into a sitting position. Sora reached out his hand, offering to help him up, and Riku took the gesture, heaving back up to a standing position. "Ow," he muttered.

Sora cocked his head to the side slightly, looking at him strangely again. "I've never heard you say that before either."

Riku glared again, cursing at fate for the joke it decided to play on him. "I'm human too, though that might surprise you," he retorted.

"Heh well, I'm sorry," Sora conceded, "So where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere," Riku replied grumpily. It didn't really hurt that bad, but the whole ordeal put him in a sulky mood.

A glimmer of mischief glittered into Sora's ocean-eyes. With a small seductive smirk, he took Riku's hand and walked past him, dragging him back down the hall. "Well, I'll just have to kiss it and make it all better then," he said lightly.

Sora is _very_ good at making things better.


	41. ABC Pt6

_~ABC~ Pt.6_

**U: **Unequal

"So, you simplify the sides; take the formula and plug the numbers in. Then you gotta-"

"Stop."

"What? Do you need me to go back and-"

"Riku, I'm a lost cause. I don't get it and I never will… Please, just kill me."

I sigh; Sora does have a point. Algebra just isn't the brunette's forte no matter how many times I explain it. They have a test tomorrow, however, which means that I can't just let Sora wing it; I have to at least _try _to help him understand. Of course, the attempt is doing nothing but stressing the brunette out further.

"Sora… I really want you to pass." I say, trying to convey my urgency.

"I want to pass too, but this is just… Ugh. The sides of the upside-down U equation are unequal and I gotta make it work, but I don't want to, and I don't care about it. Just… ugh!" he says, frustrated.

I sigh, knowing that he means every word by his bright and determined eyes. Though, the determination is going in the wrong direction, I can't say I blame him; I know that he'll never use this math in real life, so he doesn't see the point of trying. I do it because I'm an overachiever and I like math, but I understand his point of view.

I contemplate his choices, because I know he won't do it himself. There isn't much I can do concerning his tests, but after said tests we are allowed to at least do test corrections. There are take home quizzes, and homework every night. It's probably the wrong thing to do, but if I do some of his work, and get him an 80 average… Well, it's self explanatory.

"Sora… give me the damn homework."

"Riku… what are you doing?" he questions, giving me the paper anyway. I appreciate his trust, but I'm feeling rather frustrated that I have to do everything for him. I bring my paper next to his and snatch his pencil without answering him; within two minutes, Sora has definitely gotten my idea, and I've copied my answers onto his paper, making sure a couple are wrong here and there.

I say simply, "You're going to get an 80 average this year, and next. Just stay in my classes."

For a minute he just stares at me, shocked. I thought it would be obvious that this would be my plan, but he must not have expected it. "Th-thank you, Riku," he says, looking adorably bashful. Suddenly, the cheating is worth it.

Just like the equations I have to solve, Sora and I are unequal in different things- academic achievements, looks (he wins by a landslide), etc; but in the end, that's never a bad thing.

**V: **Vagina

Why did they sign up for this class? Oh yeah, it's mandatory… Damn the state curriculum to hell and back.

"Please open your Health textbook to page 394**(1) **and read along with the tape…" drawled Professor Vexen, looking more bored and disinterested than usual from his odd, poised position at his desk. He always gets excited when they go over drugs (medical drugs and otherwise) and their side effects, but lately they've been going over the human anatomy, which makes him even **more **enthusiastic, due to his obsession with cloning. So today they must be going over plants, or something equally bafflingly boring.

Sora sighed, turning the pages idly. Riku, who was on his right, was just as lazy, not even bothering to take out a pencil and paper for notes like he does in other classes (those notes have saved the brunette too many times to count). When Sora recognized the page number as being the one he was looking for, he looked up, deciding he could skim around and get the general idea of whatever they were supposed to learn, freeing up time for passing notes to Riku or taking a nap. However, when his eyes met the _title _and the horrid _pictures _Sora cried out, "Augh!"

Riku glanced at his friend in concern, wondering what was so horrible that was making him scramble back in his chair, forcing it to balance on only two of its legs. The silverette reached out to the back of the chair, ready to grab it if Sora (being the klutz he is) lost his balance. Then he decided to get to the root of the problem; the textbook, it must be, considering that's the only thing Sora could be backing away from.

When turquoise eyes met the white- black- and brownish- pinkish horrors of the page, Riku paled, his jaw dropping slightly while his eye twitched, trying to urge him to look away before he acquired permanent psychological damage. Simultaneously, Riku and Sora looked at each other, aghast; were they going to have to _learn _this?

But time wasn't going to stop to let the two teen boys recover. When the 'fwip' sound of papers turning stopped, Vexen picked up the remote to his CD player and pressed the play button, earning a collective sigh from the whole class.

"Chapter 7:" the creepy female voice on the track said, "The Reproductive Systems."

Sora's eyes widened. Riku's skin developed a greenish tinge. The rest of the class either moaned or giggled, earning an angry response from Vexen, "SHUT IT and grow up!"

"Section 1: The Female Reproduction System," the CD continued. Riku snapped his own and Sora's textbook shut; Sora merely stared in revulsion as a shiver slipped like a snake down his spine.

The rest of the class was unaware of the dilemma occurring at Sora's table, however, and continued to giggle at how _funny _learning about women would be and at how _great _it would be to come up with some more sex jokes to pass around the school. Vexen gave up on them at this point, reading a novel over the _male _anatomy because he really had no interest in this; he grew up with Larxene, enough said.

As if things couldn't get worse, of course they did. The monologue of the first chapter commenced, starting of course with its title, "Vaginas."

Riku shivered this time and Sora put his head in his hands, moaning quietly in agony. For reasons beyond their understanding, just the _word _disgusted them; somehow it reminded them of slimy noodles, soaked in olive oil. Neither of them had on-hand experience with these female parts, but they didn't have to know the vocabulary for its parts to know they abhorred it. Sure, they have girl friends, but… Friends were the way they stayed, and that never changed.

It was a shame, but what can you do? Every gay boy has to go through this; learning what they could have to deal with if they don't 'come out of the closet'. It's scary enough (to them) to knock anyone out of a closet, or even hurl them over a barbed wire fence for that matter. But, luckily for them, they won't have to 'open the door' alone; they always have each other.

**W: **Wishes

If it had been Sora who had gotten three wishes in Agrabah, he wouldn't even have to think about what to wish for; he'd been wishing for the same thing on every star he could see in the sky every night. Because there are some things you can do yourself, and some things you need a little help on, Sora wished something for himself for once in his life. He could defeat Xemnas, or the Heartless Ansem- whoever, really- to protect the worlds and the hearts of the people on it. That was the easy part.

What he couldn't do on his own was make Riku fall for him; it would be illogical to say he could. Thus, he wishes on the stars and stares jealously at Aladdin's magical lamp; he only needed one wish… The only thing that stopped him from asking Aladdin for a wish of his own was the _one rule _the Genie had to abide by for wishes.

Of course, you couldn't wish for someone to fall in love with you.

**A/N: the 1 thing in 'V' is a Harry Potter joke… from the movie. Snape is about to teach the kids about Werewolves and he's like 'go to page 394' in that ominous voice he has… Anyway, you get the point.**

**Uhhhhmmm…. Idk what to say about this one other than I suck at drabbles because once I get an idea, I can't confine myself to 300 words… XD Reviews are appreciated :)**

**Annnndddd I HAVE HIT ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! –does the happy dance in her Eeyore pajamas- this is ALL thanks to THESE good people: ****AnimeFreak4261, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn****, MsSupreme, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, and Skypiratelove I LOVE ALL YOU GUYS (especially Sora, you know who you are :D )**


	42. ABC Pt7

_~ABC~ The Last Part: 7_

**X: **Xemnas (_kudos to AnimeFreak4261)_

"I can't believe I had to fight that Xemnas guy!" exclaims Sora, his head hanging upside down from his bed which he's laying on.

Riku, who's leaning on the wall (he was looking for something a couple minutes previously), replies somewhat confused, "Why? I don't see anything… odd about it."

"Look, I just now had this revelation; I think he was gay! Did you notice the way he talked? Like he was… I don't know, it just had this fancy flair. When he talked and walked, I thought of a male ballet dancer, no offence to them…" the brunette ranted, gesturing wildly with his hands as if he thought these thoughts were very important.

Riku just stares at his best friend for a moment before bursting into laughter. "That's hilarious" he starts between gasps and loud chuckles, "because I thought the same exact thing!"

"Really!" Sora exclaims, sitting up and turning to face the silverette. Riku nods with a smile and decides to join his companion on his bed. He lays down half-way, his back resting against the board of Sora's bed.

"You know," Riku continues in a commenting way, "I always thought most of the organization was gay, even Roxas, no offence."

"None taken," Sora says with a smile, giggling slightly, "I thought the same thing. Do you think some of the members got together?"

"Oh yeah," Riku responds, sounding very sure, "It's hard to tell which were the couples though."

Sora nods. "Well, I'm pretty sure Axel 'loved' Roxas. You should have heard what he told me right before he died…"

"I think you've told me before," Riku contemplates, "and I agree with you about them but what about the others?"

"They're hard to figure out." Sora replies, also contemplating, "I would say Demyx and Zexion had something, unless he was with Xigbar… I can't decide…"

Riku shrugs. "Eh, I always thought Xigbar was too old for Demyx, but who knows. Saix and Xemnas probably had something."

"Oh yeah," Sora laughs, "and Vexen with Marluxia?"

"What?" Riku exclaims, "How do you figure that?"

"Well, Marluxia was so pretty and Vexen probably found him fascinating… but since Vexen was insane, Marluxia probably favored that… I don't know?" Sora explains, unsure of his own reasoning.

"Mm, I guess that sorta makes sense." Riku replies. A thoughtful silence clouds over them, but then suddenly, the silverette remembers something he figured out awhile ago. "Oh, Sora."

"Hmm?"

"Guess what Xemnas' name is when you anagram it?" he says, obviously amused.

"Uh… what?" the azure-eyed teens asks curiously.

With a smirk, Riku obliges, "Mansex." The look on Sora's face? Priceless.

The brunette jumps up onto the bed and yells, "I KNEW IT!"

**Y: **Yo-yo

Sora had many different hidden talents; Riku thought he knew them all, but Sora always managed to surprise him occasionally.

Like today, Riku thought, watching the oblivious Sora play. The brunette flicked his wrist, and the yellow contraption tied to the string wound upward about mid-way, then fell, but Sora jerked back and somehow managed to make it 'walk'; Riku recognized it as the 'walking the dog' trick. When did Sora learn this? Sora continues to meddle with the string and circular object over his head, on the side, on the ground, making it fly, fall, reel in, fly forward; you name it, Sora could do it.

When Riku finally decided to just walk onto the brunette's back porch, Sora stopped in surprise. "Oh!" he exclaimed, "Hi, Riku!" Looking nervous, he tried to hide his toy behind his back.

"Sora," Riku said, awed, "when did you learn to yo-yo?"

"Uh… heh, uhm… Around… nine?" the brunette said blushingly.

"That's so cool!" Riku said excitedly, "Can you teach me?"

"Uh- et… Wait, what?" Sora replied intelligently; did he just hear what he thought he did? Did _Riku _just ask _him _to teach him something? Surely not.

"How did you do all that?" Riku continued, taking the yo-yo from the ocean-eyed teen's hands and playing with it.

Sora watched Riku try to imitate some of the things he had done in shock, thinking, 'what the hell?' After Riku muttered "Shit…" under his breath from dropping the yo-yo, the puzzle pieces in Sora's head snapped together. Resisting the urge to laugh, he finally walked forward. "Here, let me show you."

Riku smiled. "Al-right!"

**Z: **Catching Some Z's

Of course, the one day I wake up early to actually _do _something, Sora is out cold. Usually, he comes to my house and wakes ME up but today I woke up (somehow –cough-) at nine and decided to surprise Sora. I thought he would be awake, but I was sorely mistaken.

And now I can't wake him up!

I've never had to, so what am I supposed to do? I walked into the room and sat down slightly on his bed, contemplating how to wake up him (and avoid staring at him too much; he's way too adorable for his own good) but so far I haven't gotten anywhere. I poke him; nothing. I shake him slightly, whispering, "Sora…?" to no avail. I shake him harder and call his name louder, but no matter what I do, nothing works. See, I don't want to hurt him, so I'm not going to pinch him awake. He'd kill me if I pour a bucket of water on him, and his mom would be pretty pissed off too, so that's out of the question.

Suddenly, the light bulb in my head turns on, but just the thought of it brings a heavy blush to my cheeks; why does Sora have to become sleeping beauty? I w_ant _to kiss him, but I really, really _don't _want to kiss him and screw things up. How awkward would that be; hey Sora, I kissed you because you wouldn't wake up and also because I have gay attractions to you. I'm sure that would just make his day.

I sigh, contemplating my choices. Oh yeah, there aren't any. Glancing toward my peacefully sleeping best friend, I inwardly melt; his mouth is slightly part while air enters and exits softly, making his naked chest rise and fall softly. Groaning softly as to not wake him, I pull my hand through my silver hair in distress; he's so tempting but… I shouldn't defile him in his sleep! It's just wrong!

But it's the only way to wake him up, according to the mischievous side of my conscious. I give in way too easily, creating another victory for the little devil on my shoulder. The angel one just sighs and pats my shoulder, understanding my predicament. I poke Sora again as I lean in, sort of testing the waters per say. Nothing happens, so I lean in further, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. What did I do to deserve this?

By the time my lips crash him, I'm almost a nervous wreck. I kiss him only until I feel the brunette stir, and once he does, I sit up quickly, looking away in an attempt to hopefully give my cheeks a chance to recover. It doesn't work much.

"Riku…" Sora says softly. I whirl around to my favorite brunette, eyes wide. "What are you doing here, Riku…?" he mutters, rubbing his eyes sleepily. As soon as I'm convinced he couldn't become any cuter, he does.

"Uh," I whisper intelligently, "I've come to wake you up so we can hang out today."

"What…time is it?" I sigh quietly in relief; he doesn't know I kissed him. So, I reply much easier, "Oh, about 9:30 or 10; I didn't check before I left the house."

"Urgh…" he says, sitting up and revealing more of his tan, creamy skin. I stare only for a few moments before jerking my head to the side; now is no time to lose my sanity and ravish said exposed skin.

"Sorry Riku," he continues, "I don't know why I slept in so late."

"Oh," I say, surprised, "It's not your fault; it's natural." To this he merely smiles. But only a moment later, he falls over, colliding with my shoulder tiredly. He seems to automatically relax onto me and scoots closer, gripping my shirt as he curls into me.

I've never had a harder fight to control myself. The only thing that stops me from glomping him onto the bed is my concern for him, considering he's never like this. "Uh… Sora, are you ok?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah… just still waking up," he says, still not moving. Not that I'm complaining. Eventually he yawns and moves languidly away however, causing me to feel lonely as soon as he pulls away. I stay on the bed when he gets up and starts getting dressed. I surreptitiously watch him, averting my eyes to the floor when he looks in my general direction.

It's now that I realize my heart is still beating frantically from the kiss, and I decide to use all my effort to slow it down. All of it goes to waste when Sora walks over to me and says brightly, "Alright, so what's the plan for the day?"

Oh, I have so many things in mind, but all of them require being unclothed. But of course, we can't do any of those considering my best friend is straight, meaning I need to control. My. Thoughts. Come on, Riku, you can do it!

"Uh… why don't you pick?" I say with a grimace that hopefully Sora will take as a smile.

Suddenly, Sora giggles uncharacteristically and jumps onto me, knocking me backward onto the bed. Of course, I don't protest, but I'm still rather shocked; he crosses his arms on my chest with a mischievous smirk on his face and I suddenly realize I'm in deep trouble.

"I know what you did," Sora says, his eyes glittering like the ocean.

"Uh… what do you mean?" I respond intelligently, frightened of where this is going.

Sora swoops down, pushing his lips onto mine into a sweet but quick kiss, just enough to leave me feeling dizzy. Did that just happen? "Ring a bell yet?" Sora asks, eyes staring straight into mine.

Well there's no point in lying. "Y-yes," I respond, already knowing my cheeks are bright red, "I'm sorry Sora, I couldn't get you to wake up any other way."

"Oh," he says, almost sounding…disappointed? "Why didn't you just pinch me or something?"

"Uhh…" I say, looking to the side in embarrassment, "I didn't want to hurt you, and water was out of the question considering both you and your mom would kill me, so…"

"Is the reason you kissed me just to wake me up?" he asks, finally. I look to him in a panic, wondering if I should lie or not. When I look into his eyes, they almost look… hurt? Did I do something? Did me kissing him hurt him, or is it something else?

I decide to risk it, because lying always makes things worse; "No… no it's not."

"Then why else did you kiss me?"

"Uhm… I don't think you want to know, or should know for that matter," I say helplessly, hoping he'll accept that answer.

Of course he doesn't. "Just tell me, Riku. You know I hate being left in the dark," he says determinedly. Great, now he's going to pester me till I crack, just like he always does.

"I kissed you to wake you up," I say nervously but honestly, "and because I… I-I think I love you."

It takes him a moment to process this, but I can't run, considering my spot under him. He doesn't move, but instead stares at me. Then his eyes flash in anger and he retorts, "You think? You _think!_"

"Hey! I-" I start to protest, but I can't continue due to pink, full, beautiful lips taking over mine for the third time today. When he doesn't pull away, I kiss back, trying to convey my feelings into the kiss because so far all the things I've said have only made things worse.

Somehow, this one kiss turns into more, and I just can't get enough; when did Sora take my hand? Everything is amazingly hazy, yet clear; Sora's the only thing I can focus on, the only thing that has ever mattered. My heartbeat and thoughts are frantic, white hotness coursing through me. But I have to stay on earth; when Sora licks my bottom lip, I pull back, pushing him up; I don't want to take advantage of him, and not only that, I don't feel dominant enough here.

"You haven't told me how _you _fell yet," I state simply, flipping us over to recover some of my dignity. Its Sora's turn to blush and inwardly I smirk; pwned.

"Y-you want me to say it?" he asks, obviously dreading my answer.

"Well, that would be fair, you know," I respond, raising my eyebrow at him.

"Heh..." he says, shifting his eyes from left to right as if the room has all the answers, "Uhm, well isn't it obvious? I kissed you twice!"

"Sora…" I reply threateningly.

"Ok, ok! I l-love you too." At his nervous words, I take a moment to bask in the greatness of it, undeniably feeling my heart blow up like a balloon, probably smiling like an idiot. When I let my eyes fall back to the gorgeous face below me, I initiate a kiss this time, pinning his wrists over his head. He only argues a bit, trying to tug his wrists free, but I don't let him budge. When we pull away, I give him a smirk.

"This is what you get for making me unable to catch some z's," I tell him, recalling all my sleepless nights filled with thoughts of this lithe brunette that I grew up with.

"How is that my fault?" he asks stubbornly, still tugging at his wrists.

"Why do you think I got here so early? I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking _you!_" I tell him, partly to get it off my chest, and partly to make him flustered.

It works, and his cheeks flame up. Aghast, he says, "Really? That's why I slept in… I couldn't sleep until 4-ish because …of you…"

Pausing, we just look at each other, unsure what to say or think about this, other than feel touched that we couldn't sleep because of each other. After the moment of silence, I get a comforting idea; I roll off of him but pull him close to me, covering us with his blankets.

"We should sleep together then," I say, letting my head rest on his pillow while I bring him even closer. But Sora fights it, backing away, and turns to me looking frightened. "W- what! It's t-too early for that…"

After experiencing a mini- double-take, it all clicks again and I reply amusedly, "Uh, Sora… I meant sleeping, as in going to bed and catching those missing z's."

"…Oh," he says, relaxing and coming back into my arms easily, like he's meant to be there. I reckon he is.

Then, of course, we fell asleep like it was some cliché movie, clutching each other like our lives depended on it. I think it was the best nap I'd ever taken, but it was also the start of many other similar ones, some of them leading to sleeping, some of them not.

And for that, I'd stay awake countless nights to make sure things never changed.

**A/N: I hope Z wasn't TOO cliché… but it was pretty fluffy. Anyway, well… this is the end of the ABC series, but I think I have more ideas I can put to good use on here :D **

**Critiques? Comments? Hopefully more Axel and Roxas fluff is coming up soon… If you guys want to put in any requests, I'll see what I can do, because I love you guys THAT MUCH ;D. **

**Until next time! :D**


	43. Fireworks

_~Fireworks~_

The Fireworks Festival on Destiny Islands has always been a big deal, like Halloween. These simple islands love making a big deal out of things; it attracts tourists and makes every holiday more fun for everyone, which is great since it added excitement to their simple lives.

Every local and tourist gathered on the bridge over the river that eventually turned into a waterfall, the sparkling water falling unceasingly into the ocean. Not many admire the city lights or the stars in the night sky; most of them stand there, talking, anxiously awaiting the fireworks after a long day of carnival rides and deep-fried food.

There are only two young men among the teen group who were absorbing the sights. The brunette gawked and 'wow'ed at a lot of things, pointing to them while looking over his shoulder to the silverette with a wide, excited smile briefly; the silverette just observed quietly, always paying attention to the ADHD brunette next to him with a small smile on his face. The rest of their friends (Axel, Roxas, Kairi, Selphie, Namine, Tidus, and Wakka) continued to joke around and laugh, occasionally joining Sora and Riku into the conversation.

All day, they have been together. It was like old times; it _is _like old times. They were all having fun, but Riku just couldn't shake the question; what's the point of this? It's been nagging at him all day… what's missing? Maybe that's the real question. Nothing has changed since they left the island. Sora is still going after Kairi. Riku is still somehow the outcast that isn't really the outcast. It's complicated, but simple, considering it's always been this way. Riku is glad to be back, but wasn't all this the reason he wanted to leave so much?

Before you start wondering if the darkness is tempting him, and that he's depressed, know that this is different. Riku knows it's different, but he isn't exactly sure how. He couldn't care less about the darkness, and he's not _sad. _He's a blank, yellowed page; it's been through a lot, but it's still unwritten, purposeless. What is he supposed to be _doing _now? Everything is pointless, but he isn't sure what exactly he's _looking _for. He fully realizes that to anyone else, he's being selfish and missing the point. He hears his friends' would-be questions of 'what else do you want?' and 'why aren't we enough already?' but it's not that...

And this is where his thought process stops; he doesn't know what to think after this.

"Come on, Riku," a soft voice calls to him, "The fireworks are about to start." Riku turns to the voice, looking down from the stars. The brunette looks up at him expectantly, almost beseechingly, his ocean-blue eyes sparkling with happiness and the light he always possesses.

Riku smiles, not falsely, but not exactly honest either. "Alright, lead the way then," the silverette replies, hands in his blue-jeaned pockets. Sora laughs a bit and nods, gesturing ahead with his hand in a way only Sora can pull off without looking gay (perhaps).

"Hey," Axel says from closer to the front of the line they seemed to be going in, "Roxas and I will catch up with you guys later, k?"

"Mk, Axel, but where will we meet up?" asks Kairi, who nudges Namine from her sketch book as if to ask, 'Is it ok for Roxas to go?' Riku knows a girls' silent communication, which is partly the reason why he's never been interested in any of them. Digressing, Namine quirks her head down, saying 'yes' without actually saying anything; so Namine doesn't like Roxas that way, or she's too shy to prevent Axel sweeping Roxas away. Riku sees the way Axel looks at Roxas, and the way Roxas responds; if it's the second reason, the silverette hopes Namine will be able to get over Sora's Other.

"Ah, well, uh… we'll meet up at the car at about midnight, got it memorized?" Axel proposes, closing with his favorite line. Kairi giggles and nods, waving them off as Axel's hand snaps to Roxas wrist and pulls him away through the crowd. Riku's turquoise eyes follows them, sensing something is there that can help him and his thoughts, but that something it still missing, he doesn't know what to draw from it.

"Geez, Riku, stop staring off into space and get in the game, ya?" inquires Wakka, giving him a manly shove to the shoulder. The attempt to revive the silverette teen works and he pushes back lightly, smiling and calling him a dick, but still following the group to the middle of the bridge where they hopefully would have the best view of the fireworks possible.

For some reason, the silverette can't take his eyes off of Sora when they settle into their permanent spot on the bridge, overlooking the sparkling river water. Dimly lit, his face still seems to glow, his features softly curved and beautiful while his eyes sparkle just as brilliantly. He's so natural, so pure. The brunette talks excitedly to the girls Kairi and Namine because the red-head is never seen without the artist, but of course the azure eyes of the male teen is stuck only to Kairi, his smile wide. As usual, Riku feels that… horrible nagging. He doesn't understand it, and never has. It eats at him, and whispers little thoughts like 'get him away from her', 'he was my friend first; he's mine', and 'I wish he would smile like that to me, and talk to me like he does to her'. But as usual, he also doesn't act of any of these impulses because for one they are simply preposterous and two, Sora would be really pissed at him for dragging him away from his beloved princess.

Feeling rather frustrated, he looks away and glares at the stars, bickering at them instead of wishing for anything because he knows the stars aren't Genies but rather worlds. He doesn't feel a girl's gaze on him as he thinks too deep, but he's snapped out of his reverie when Selphie says, "They'll disappear again if you keep glaring at them like that."

Surprised at the voice, Riku turns toward the brunette girl, whose mischievous eyes scream of knowledge; it pisses him off. "They won't disappear," Riku responds, glancing back toward the twinkling diamonds in the sky.

"But _he_ might," Selphie says softly, her eyes steadily looking at him significantly.

Nothing falls into place in Riku's mind like Selphie's expression says it should. "What?" the silverette says, bewildered at what _that's _supposed to mean. _Girls, _he thinks, annoyed.

He's about to question further when, of course, Sora joins them with impeccable timing, looking over-excited and happy. He exclaims, "Hey, I hate to ditch you guys like Axel and Roxas did, but would you mind if Kairi and I met up with you guys later?"

That feeling Riku gets occasionally explodes, rises up his throat in a rage; Riku feels just as angry, but he fights it all back, berating himself. No, Sora is not his. No, Sora belongs with Kairi. No, it doesn't matter what you feel. No, none of this matters… right?

But Selphie's words echo in his mind. 'They'll disappear again if you keep glaring at them like that… but he might…'. Looking at Sora, he thinks he might understand what she meant. But Sora isn't going anywhere, right? But that's just it; he _is_, Riku realizes. If Sora and Kairi leave them right now, what will happen? Surely they'll kiss; surely they'll get together. The thought is disgusting to Riku, wrong even.

He hears Selphie say, "Sure, go ahead, Sora… just don't abandon us completely, ok?" but even as she talks to them, she looks directly at the silverette as if saying, 'what are you going to do about this?'

But Riku can't do anything. Shouldn't do anything. None of this matters. What's the point of stopping Sora and Kairi getting together? This is just like everything else; meaningless. But Riku feels something; which is saying something, considering how _empty _he's been feeling lately. But what does it matter? Sora and Kairi belong together- why is he thinking about this anyways? What does it _matter? _Why is he here anyway; to watch over the love birds while they grow old together with three children and a dozen grandchildren, all whapping sticks across their home's white picket fence? No! This is why he wanted to _leave_. Shouldn't things have changed after everything?

Sora and himself are best friends, what more does he want? He realizes with a start that he wants _all _of Sora. He's been through hell and back for the brunette and goddamnit, Sora should be _his. _No, he isn't an object, but this red dragon breathing fire on his heart needs to go away, and that dragon, not to mention his heart, wants Sora. But why? And in what way exactly? He doesn't know. He just knows he'd do anything for Sora, except let him give his heart away to _her. _The red-head will never be able to appreciate it like he, himself, can, so what's the point of letting him go? What exactly is Riku holding onto?

He's holding onto hope. He's holding onto the faith that _something _will come to these pointless islands to _give _him purpose again. Because he didn't get this strong just to waste his time here. Because life is meaningless, but we go through it because no one else will. But that doesn't have to be all. He doesn't have to live this way, watching everything he loves go by, just that arm's length away. He doesn't have to stand by and watch from the sidelines like before. He can have purpose too, and find meaning in everything, and find life in life; he just needs that missing piece.

He just needs to take that first step to find that something he needs.

But Sora's walking away, calling Kairi over. She looks slightly uncomfortable, shy, but her body betrays everything her face tries to convey and that's definitely enough for him. That infuriatingly pink dress hitches ever-so-slightly higher as she sways her hips over to his brunette, and Riku can't take it, can't watch this. Ironically, Sora is an arm-length away and if he acts _now _he could grab his wrist and yank him back.

Riku can't think about 'is this right?' Riku can't wonder 'what is it that I'm feeling exactly?' He can't contemplate anything; he has to be impulsive for the first time in his life- that adrenaline rushes through him, egging on the ruby-red dragon igniting fire in his heart. It heightens everything, making him feel like if he doesn't act _now _he'll feel empty forever. Like this is his only chance to ever be happy, only chance to catch something brilliant of his own, to fill his empty heart.

Riku believes it.

The silverette's arm snaps out like a snake striking its threat and bites the wrist he's searching for, clamping around it like a lock. He doesn't pull back because he doesn't want to hurt the younger male by making him fall over, but he holds his ground, not stumbling forward in the slightest when Sora obliviously pulls forward to Kairi, still waving to her over-enthusiastically. When he feels the leash holding him back, Sora's eyes flash over his should in confusion, only to meet the smoldering eyes of the silverette- he's struck by the churning emotions there, and how _strong _they are. 'Don't go,' they scream, 'I want you to be mine,' they say, 'please, don't look at her like that anymore,' they whisper.

Time stops for the two of them in that moment. Sora's too good, too doused in light, and too perceptive to be angry by the interruption of his previous plan. His soul swims to Riku's, meeting for that one moment, though he would never understand why, or why it's so incandescent. Riku's soul is a question mark, and how Sora wants to answer it. There's something inside Riku that _needs _Sora, more than anything else has needed him before and it strikes a place in Sora's heart that's too important to simply ignore. Sora doesn't know what it is that needs him, but neither does Riku, and as in Sora's nature, he can't leave this just like that.

But time resumes just then and Riku's hand drops along with his turquoise eyes, meeting the cobblestone bridge floor as if in shame or embarrassment. Sora is caught, and he looks over his shoulder to Kairi, who looks unconcerned still, talking to Tidus laughingly as she waits. It strikes him then; Sora doesn't _need _Kairi, and she doesn't need him. It suddenly strikes him that this chase for her is so empty, so utterly _pointless._ Sure, he'd 'catch' her, but he wouldn't have her. Not for long. His heart aches only slightly at this realization, but most of his attention is still on Riku, and the look in his eyes, and the worry he feels for the silverette.

Sora always comes when he's called.

When Riku chances a look up, Sora meets the deep eyes again and nods his head, holding up one finger to say 'give me one moment, I'll be right back'. The brunette runs over to Kairi and rushes through some sentences that Riku can't hear or lip-read, but the red-head nods, her expression fallen but her eyes still bright and happy; something in Sora's eyes tells him he notices this about the teenage girl too. A wave of guilt washes over the silverette's heart. This isn't right, he's messing them up, he's messing up Sora's happiness, and Riku doesn't want that. But it's too late, the silent the conversation ended and Sora's already made up his mind-

Sora runs back through the crowd back to the edge of the bridge, not saying anything due to his panting. He doesn't say anything even after he's caught his breath though but instead leans against the railing of the bridge, arms crossed and eyes overlooking the city's horizon even though it's too dark to see it.

"S-sora, the fireworks are going to start soon," Riku stutters, "You'll miss your chance with Kai-"

"It's ok," he says, smiling slightly, "I think you know as well as I do that it's a lost cause. She isn't…"

"Yeah," Riku agrees softly, finally joining him on the railing.

Riku knows people would call him possessive and jealous if they knew about the thoughts in his head. But some part of him believes there's something more to it than that, more profound. Maybe it's because they're best friends, but maybe that's not really it. Maybe it's because Sora is Riku's light, but neither of them think that's the reason either. Maybe because they both need to do something that has meaning, and the only thing that they've ever found meaning in is each other. That sounds a bit more accurate.

With Sora by his side, Riku can find a morning beautiful, the ocean calming, and find a night somewhat disturbing and mysterious. With Riku by Sora's side, life will always be an adventure, and he'll never have to worry about losing the silverette again. Life won't be _normal _again with each other, but that's a good thing, because the normalcy was something they both disliked.

A loud cacophony sound whizzes through the air for a long second, and both young male's eyes follow the sound up to the middle of the high sky, when suddenly the darkness explodes into red and green lights with an even louder boom. They both smile at the sky as they watch the start of the fireworks, feeling like they just began another adventure, like they just took the next step into the rest of their lives. Riku's heart beats again, content pulsing through him like the first small flames of a newly kindled fire, warming the icy flesh in that rippling, goose-bumped start. Another deafening bang fills the eardrums of everyone on the bridge, or anyone on the island for that matter. They continue relentlessly, earning loud cheers from the crowd and Sora joins in with a wide smile as he returns to normal. Riku smirks at the brunette, returning to normal as well, commenting at how childish he is. Sora pouts at the silverette, pointing out that at least he's having fun, 'unlike' him. Kairi looks on from the distance, knowing exactly what just happened. So she smiles and takes Namine's hand, remembering the picture she drew a weekend ago, and recalling how uncannily accurate it was to the scene before her tonight.

The chase will start with the bright bedazzling lights and the loud unnatural crashes in the night sky, the blonde had said. Kairi thinks her little artist was wrong for once however; this chase started long before she even got to the islands, and it has become a race a princess can't possibly undertake.

**A/N: there's going to be a part two to this, with Axel and Roxas :) This was basically a request from ****Digimagic ****though I don't think this is what he(? I am so sorry if I get your gender wrong…) had in mind but I can't deny I'm rather proud of this chapter. Your thoughts? Haha I ask that every time, but I mean it every time. The responses I get are always so great, they make me smile.**

**So, SHOUT OUT TO: Tori Sohma,** **AnimeFreak4261, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn****, MsSupreme, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, and Skypiratelove**


	44. Fireworks Pt2

_**A/N: This is just a little suggestion… You'll probably see the scenery better if you reread the first part of fireworks before moving onto this one, but I'm not sure how much of a difference it'll make haha. But, anyway, here you go:) this is completely Akuroku chapter, so if you don't like this pairing… don't even read it lol.**_

_~Fireworks~ Pt.2_

This is both Axel and Roxas's first time going to the Fireworks Festival on Destiny Islands. As usual, they mostly follow the others, somewhat excited to learn more about the island that just recently became their home, saying the whole 'making things explode into colors' really appeals to the witty red-head, and Roxas of course is 'just going along for the ride', enjoying everything in general while refusing to act like his bubbly Other, Sora. This is how they always are, inseparable yet 'go-with-the-flow' kind of people and everyone has just accepted it (not that they really minded in the first place). Axel, 'the newest hot player', joined at the hip with Roxas, the quiet, sarcastic-almost-cynical short blonde kid with a bed-head hair-do. Tonight is no exception; the two best friends stick together like glue, feeling out of place without the other, following the crowd of their newly made friends over the bridge.

Girls can't help but stare at the red-head as he makes his way over the bridge. Although Roxas is more of the punk child, Axel dressed in a way that make the girls' hearts swoon, desperately longing for a bad-boy of their own. He decided to wear black-faded-white skinny jeans and a white v-neck shirt with a red, black, and silver dragon on the front, of course breathing fire. To make matters worse, he put his hair back, making his spiky fringe go just a bit crazier around his face, and a silver chained necklace hung around his neck, hanging from it the Nobodies symbol, the only reminder of his past he cared to keep. You would think it's rather awkward that he would dress so extravagantly just for a festival, but alas, he dresses this way almost every day. What can he say? He loves flames and showing off his body, and he won't deny it.

Roxas scowls at the turning heads, making the girls' eyes widen and finally pivot away. The blonde wishes Axel would tone it down a bit, but Axel loves 'the heat' and Roxas can't deny that he's starting to enjoy the view. He, however, dressed a bit more conservatively, not wishing to draw attention to himself. He wore a short-sleeved white-and-navy-blue hoodie, the hood, draw strings, and pouch pocket being navy blue while the rest remained white. His pants were a pair of beige cargo shorts, ending right under the knee, completing his laid back look. As usual, he did nothing with his hair, but he did wear a necklace exactly like Axel's, shimmering brightly from the oncoming city lights.

When a whole group of cheerleaders turn to look at Axel, giggling, Roxas finally sighs, grabbing Axels arm and mutters, "Let's just get out of here already."

"Whaddya mean, Roxy? We just got here," replies Axel, stopping and turning around to the azure-eyed teen.

"No, I mean… can we just get away from the crowd? I'm tired of girls gawking at you," the frustrated teen explains, a light blush painting his cheeks. Axel would tease him for it, but unfortunately he can't see his companion's embarrassment due to the darkness of the night.

But, Axel's a clever guy and finds a way to tease him anyway. "I sense jealousy, Roxy! Don't worry, you look gorgeous too," he says with a Cheshire grin.

Roxas scowls, but doesn't reply because Axel already turned away, calling to their group (Kairi, Namine, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, Riku, and Sora) that somehow managed to stay behind them for the most part. "Hey," Axel says from the front of the line they seemed to be going in, "Roxas and I will catch up with you guys later, k?"

"Mk, Axel, but where will we meet up?" asks Kairi, who nudges Namine from her sketch book as if to ask, 'Is it ok for Roxas to go?' The blonde girl shrugs lightly, continuing to sketch away. The red-head takes notice of this, and decides to ask Roxas about it later, but for now he's simply going with the demand the blonde said earlier. If he misses the sketch-book girl, he can always come back later, figures the pyromaniac. Really though, he just wants Roxas all to himself.

"Ah, well, uh… we'll meet up at the car at about midnight, got it memorized?" Axel proposes, closing with his favorite line. Kairi giggles and nods, waving them off as Axel's hand snaps to Roxas wrist and pulls him away through the crowd. _Ah, well… _Axel thinks, _Roxy will have to catch up with Namine after midnight if he really wants to then. Oh well, better for me, as long as he doesn't get pissed. _But Roxas doesn't seem to be complaining about being pulled through the crowd. That's a plus.

"A-Axel! Slow down!" the blonde exclaims, tripping through the random chattering people.

"Geez, Roxy, if you get any more clumsy, I'll have to carry you off the bridge," the red-head teases, loving the deep-red blush he receives from Roxas after looking over his shoulder.

"T-that's… Where are we going anyway?" 'Roxy' huffs, glaring at the back of Axel's head.

"Uh… good question. I'm just trying to find a way out of these people, like you wanted," Axel replies seriously, looking contemplatively around him.

"Idiot," Roxas mutters but then suggests louder, "Let's just get off the bridge. The fireworks will probably be big enough for us to see anywhere as long as there aren't trees in the way."

Axel nods, agreeing with his logic, and plows through the crowd even faster, determined to get out quickly. No words are said until they finally rid themselves of the horde of people, stopping a little ways away from the bridge at a park-like cement bench resting on the right side of the road those branches off of the said bridge. Axel sits down on it, watching in amusement as Roxas rests his hands on his knees, hunched over, trying to catch his breath.

"You're really out of shape," the red-head comments, grinning widely when Roxas glares at him in reply, his cheeks blushing either from embarrassment, anger, or just the exercise. Probably all three.

"Shut up," the blonde retorts smartly, "It's your fault; I told you to slow down."

"Hmph," grunts Axel in reply with a soft smirk on his face. If Roxas had really been paying attention, he would've noticed that Axel does everything the blonde asks, and then does things to annoy him just to cover up his constant compliance. But, like Sora, being observant isn't one of his dominant traits. You would think this would be a bad thing but Axel just sees it as a part of his chase.

When Roxas has acquired a some-what stable heartbeat, he sits down next to Axel, idly noting that the red-head actually picked a good spot. The bench is cool because of the trees behind them that shaded their spot during the day, and thus was cooler over all. Not only that, looking forward you got a nice, open view of the sky, below that being some city life surrounding the river (that they couldn't see due to the slope down to it) with trees on either side of the whole scenery. Being a future-professional photographer, Roxas gets the urge to take a picture of it, thinking its perfect enough for family photo backgrounds, and he would, if only it was light outside.

"Sorry about Namine," Axel apologizes, looking off to the side to hide his glare, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Roxas looks abruptly toward the red-head, snapped out of his general observation of his surroundings, suddenly caught off guard by the tone of his best friend's voice. The red-head has never been able to keep his emotions out of his voice, albeit he can hide his true intentions eerily well. It took Roxas a long time to be able to tell the tones of his voice, but because the pyromaniac hardly ever did anything alone (or even more specific, without Roxas) after receiving a heart, he was able to pick up on it.

Now if only Axel had done the same for him.

"What about her?" Roxas replies, a bit confused. Did the red-head do something to her? And why is he apologizing to _him _for it while sounding so bitter?

"You probably wanted to watch the fireworks with her, right?" he continues, hands clenching slightly to relieve some frustration.

"Uh… sure, I guess. Her and the rest of the group, but I'm just glad to be out of the crowd," Roxas replies, eyebrows furrowed. What does this have to do with anything? Why _her?_

"No, I mean… Never mind," Axel replies gruffly, leaning his back against the back of the bench, looking up to the stars.

"No, don't be like that, Axel. Come on, what did you mean?" The blonde turns to Axel, blue eyes bright. Axel knew he shouldn't turn his head to meet his eyes, but he did, and his breath is taken away, as usual. His eyes are always so honest and deep; it always catches the collected red-head off-guard every time. It reminds him of every reason why for once in his life he resists taking the thing he wants most without hesitation. What other kid would actually fight Axel back when he taunts or does something annoying to him? What other kid would lead him to believe that he was just a nuisance yet would always be there for him when he needed someone, or would always come back no matter what? No one other than Roxas. Loyalty has always been a trait he admires. If anything, the Organization taught Roxas to never let someone else step all over him, and Axel is amazed by his talent to be strong over and over again, despite how intimidating the 'user' might be. So innocent and determined is his best friend Roxas, yet so easy to tease. When did the red-head get himself into this mess of emotions?

"Uh-uhm…" Not only that, only Roxas can make Axel stutter nervously, not that Axel appreciates this bit, "Well, don't you… like her?"

"What?" _This _is what all this is about? "No! W-what would make you think _that?_!"

"I heard that you were really relieved that she came to the island so I thought…"

"That I liked her." Roxas supposes that makes sense…

"Yeah," Axel finishes awkwardly, ruffling the shorter red hairs at the nape of his neck.

Roxas sighs; he doesn't really like revealing much of his feelings, but he guesses there isn't much he can do to avoid it at the moment. "Look, I was relieved she came to the island because she was the only one I knew from my past, and because she knew you." he explains a bit sheepishly, feeling that recurring blush come to his cheeks again.

Axel has never had a bigger urge to kiss him. "What does it matter that she knew me?" Axel asks laughingly, feeling much better than he did about ten seconds ago.

"No reason," Roxas responds quickly, looking pointedly to the side. Roxas doesn't have many secrets, but Axel just asked a question he can't answer honestly. Being a mostly normal guy, explaining how much he cares about and relies on his red-head companion is rather scary, and not to mention 'illegal' in his book, considering he's still trying to find the reason why he only gets turned on when _Axel _is there and when you add that to his feelings toward the pyromaniac, you get some interesting answers.

This is a bad time to be thinking about these things.

_Ooh… he's hiding something, _Axel immediately thought after Roxas' reaction. "Didya misssss me?" he teases.

"No!" the blonde lies, feeling his cheeks get hotter.

"I'm wounded, Roxy," Axel feigned hurt (because he knows Roxas is lying), putting his hand over his heart dramatically. Deciding to take things up a notch, he drapes his arm around Roxas' shoulders, making him support some of his weight. "I'm so hurt I can't even support myself. Look what you did, Roxas."

"Idiot," Roxas mutters for the second time that night. He turns his head toward the playful red-head resting on his shoulder, intending to glare. But he never gets to- he miscalculated how _close _that would make them. Blue eyes meets green for the second time that night and they stare at each other frozen, unable to move away, yet unable to get any closer.

The truth is, Roxas _did _miss Axel; so much that he didn't know what to do with himself without his red-head companion. He got so used to Axel teasing him, randomly glomping him for attention, and just _being _there for him that when he 'died' Roxas felt drained, empty inside. Just when he got a heart and body of his own, his whole purpose for living- that he didn't even know w**as **his purpose till then- was gone. He thought fate was trying to tell him he really was never supposed to exist.

But that didn't stop him from having those crazy, horrible nightmares of Axel's death over and over every night. That didn't stop his testosterone levels from constantly rising and requesting thoughts about _Axel, _bothering and disturbing him to no end during the day, though sparked to life at night when he was tired and alone. That didn't stop his random slip-ups, mentioning Axel with the biggest smile on his face even though moments later it was replaced with a defeated look. And that didn't stop Roxas' constant thoughts about the fiery red-head, or his somewhat unhealthy obsession with fire ('because the flames are comforting and warm,' he told Kairi when she wouldn't leave him alone about his incessant on-and-off flickering of his red lighter, that he carried with him everywhere despite the fact that he never has and doesn't ever plan to smoke).

But then of course, one day, Roxas was just sitting in Sora's living room armchair, reading some pointless book (he wasn't really paying attention to the words he was reading) and suddenly the front door opened and slammed shut. 'Hey, home early, Sora?' he had said. Then, a familiar pair of arms knocked the book out of his hands and a familiar chest crashed onto his. An eerily familiar voice cried out, "ROXYYYYYYYY~"

Although he was thoroughly shocked and he thought he was hallucinating, he can't deny he never felt happier than he did right then. The relief of seeing Namine could never compare.

Axel is the first to snap out of the moment when he realized he was about to kiss his best friend, and said best friend was staring at him almost like a deer in the head lights. Blushing a light pink, he sat up and looked straight forward, clearing his throat nervously. That's when Roxas blinked and shook his head slightly, looking straight ahead as well.

"So wait… if you don't like Namine," Axel asks bravely, "then who _do _you like?" The red head regrets asking the question as soon as the words leave his mouth because he dreads the answer, but he glances tentatively toward the blonde anyway, in spite of himself eager to hear the answer.

"_Craaaaap, _"Uhm- uh, that is-" Roxas stutters, "heh… no one?"

The red-head raises his thin eyebrow. "Uh-huh. You are a horrible liar, Roxas. Just tell me," he assures the blonde despite the sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I can't," Roxas replies finally, avoiding eye contact for about the millionth time tonight.

"Why not?" Axel replies, feeling offended, "Come on, we're best friends. We have to tell each other these things."

"I-I know, but…" There's a pause as Roxas tries to frantically think of a way to get himself out of this mess. The dread and agony he feels when he thinks about admitting his feelings to Axel make him slightly nauseous, but Axel is looking so concerned for him, it almost makes him want to laugh.

"Axel, if it were **any **other question, I could tell you," the blonde says finally, putting his head in his hands while his elbows rest on his knees, portraying perfectly of how stressing his current situation is.

"Well alright, Roxy, I get it," Axel replies contemplatively, "Can you give me hints then? I'll give you hints about who I like if you'd like some fair play." Once again, the red-head inwardly smacks himself as soon as the words leave his mouth, wondering how could he make such a stupid offer, realizing with horror how vulnerable that would make him in the future.

"Idiot, I don't care who you like," Roxas lies quickly, defensively, feeling flustered. But in spite of himself, he can't refuse the offer so he continues hesitantly, "But a-alright, fine. I'm game."

Axel laughs, knowing exactly what Roxas just did- he's so easy to fluster. Feeling somewhat less tense and somewhat bold (as in his nature) he says, "Alright Roxy, and to make you feel better, I'll even go first, that good with you?"

"Sure, I don't care," Roxas replies nervously, anxiously turning his gaze upon his friend who's looking ahead with a slight smirk on his face with his eyes softly lidded, resulting in an unreadable expression.

"You better get these hints memorized 'cause I'm only saying them once, got it?"

"If I memorized everything you told me to, I'd be a walking encyclopedia, Axel."

"Hey, do you want to hear them or not, smartass?" the red-head retorts tauntingly.

"Y-yeah, yeah, sorry. Go already," the blonde mutters, cheeks flushing a little.

"Heh, mk… Well, let me get one thing straight. I don't like- this person," he only stutters a little bit when he almost says 'him' but then plows on, "I love them. They just don't know it, though I make it pretty obvious."

"O-ok…" Roxas comments lightly, silently urging him to continue while he addles his brain; _what girls are he friends with? When have I seen him flirt with any of them? Shit, I don't know…_

"And," Axel continues, "they're really defensive and clumsy. You can tease them and they'll blush like I just walked in on them having sex or something. They're always tripping over air too, it's so adorable and-"

"Ok, ok, I get it. You are such a sap," Roxas mutters, blushing even though he knows it's not about him. For the first time in his life, he feels insanely _jealous _of this person. How can this person Axel 'loves' be so much of an idiot (or from what it sound like, they are) and yet Axel can fall for them, but not him? It hardly makes sense…

But then, he looks up and Axel's beaming face is right there, smirking. "Your turn, Roxy," he says arrogantly, smirking wider when Roxas' cheeks redden deeper yet again.

"Ah, well… uhm…" Roxas stutters, trying to think of what to say about Axel without making it obvious it _is _Axel to Axel and ohmygod he can't do this, how did he get himself into this situation? "H-he's… tall?"

"He, eh?" Axel immediately pounces, catching the blonde off-guard. _Oh shit, I already said too much!_

"What? I didn't say that! That- that was…" Roxas lies frantically, berating himself vigorously for his slip-up.

"Hey, calm down, man. I'm just messing with you," Axel says worriedly, looking at the fidgeting blonde with concern.

The said blonde sighs exasperatedly, leaning back as far as he can with his hands over his eyes as if trying to hide. "Forget it already. I don't want to talk about it," he says, still inwardly committing suicide in numerous ways.

Axel looks over the distressed blonde contemplatively. Well, Axel is tall, isn't he? Roxas wouldn't like a girl _taller _than him, which has got to mean he was serious about the 'he' thing, right? There's always the chance. But there's also the chance that the red-head's judgments are completely off, and if he does what he thinks he's about to do, it could lead to disastrous things, like ending their friendship and the start of a life-long addiction to self-inflicted burns and suicidal intentions. But maybe that's a bit exaggerated; losing Roxas would only be the worst thing to ever happen to him.

But even those stakes can't overcome his impulsive personality, and so before he knows it, he's leaning over his blonde best friend, stealing his lips with his own. For a moment, Roxas is of course too shocked to do anything but think '_hey, is there something on my lips? Is that Axel? That smells like Axel…' _but after that initial astonishment, his thoughts turn into ricocheting sentences of chaos, saying things like, _'Axel is kissing me. Why is he kissing me? What do I do? How am I supposed to get over him and find some random chick to love if he's kissing me? Do I kiss him back? What if he's just teasing me? Why are my lips tingling? I think something's wrong with me. Fuck, what do I DO?'_

Somehow, the confusion leads to his somewhat-new heart to take over, forcing the frantic ex-Nobody to kiss back eagerly, hands almost instantly attacking the long red strands spiking out from Axel's pony tail like his fingers had been waiting for this moment for forever (they really have). At the reciprocation and new touch, Axel grabs Roxas' forearm, shocked, and pulls back slightly, looking bewilderedly into the blue eyes he meets when they open.

The eyes look chaotic, with a hint of angry and determined, and it only confuses the red-head more. "What?" Roxas asks, glaring slightly at his best friend, not appreciating the slack, jaw-dropped expression he's receiving from him.

"Y-you kissed back," Axel states the obvious, not moving from his two-inch distance from the annoyed blonde, nor releasing his grip on the aforementioned's arm.

"Yeah, and?" Somehow the sparkling of the determined eyes Roxas possess wake Axel up from his stupor, and he blinks, contorting his face back to normal.

"Well, did you mean it, or what?" the red-head says plainly, returning the determined stare he's been receiving.

Finally, Axel seems to achieve the upper hand; Roxas suddenly recoils, blushing unsurprisingly and stuttering unintelligently yet defensively. The red-head smirks softly, giving a small chuckle before closing in on Roxas's lips again, knowing the blonde's answer without him saying another incoherent stutter.

Once again, Roxas' body acts on its own, kissing back while the beating thing inside his chest inflates warmly. He wonders fleetingly if Axel can hear the frantic thumping because he's so close, but alas, he can't; he's too worried about his own, wondering if Roxas can tell how fast his fiery blood is rushing through him. They stay like that for the longest moment, inwardly basking in the glow of the heat of each other, the softness of the other's lips and how well they seem to fit together like they have been meant to fuse together all along. Although Roxas would never admit it, just like the moment Axel came back into his life, the world becomes brighter for him just by this simple kiss. It's only in moments like these does he realize that he really is Sora's Other, because only someone like the spiky-haired brunette could feel this _happy, _just because of something so simply given from something else. If he weren't so wrapped up in the moment, he would scowl.

Have you ever felt so suddenly complete that you feel as if you could catch of fire from all the sparks coming off your skin and the skin touching yours? Axel felt this way, kissing Roxas, the only one who could make him react so differently, the only one who can bring out the best and worst out of him- the only one he'd be willing to get so close to it'd be possible to be burned, too addicted to the blonde's heart and heat to care.

And then suddenly, a loud **crack **soars through the night sky, and from a ways away the best-friends-turned-lovers hear a crowd of people cheer, signifying the start of the long awaited fireworks. After the second loud **pop **the pair part, looking at each other is awe before silently turning to watch the bright lights in the sky, thoughts racing as they barely absorb the quickly ascending and burning out sparks.

To them, it has always been obvious that if they were ever to be together, their relationship wouldn't be easy as breathing air, and would be more likely to burn like paper due to their almost opposite personalities, but at the same time, both of them thought they definitely had gone through worse. Both of them thought it would be worth the fight if they were able to take the first step-or leap, in Roxas' opinion- and in the end, they always have each other. Knowing what it's like without the other makes it that much more important, though they'd probably never divulge that part of themselves to the open. For all that Axel had done for him, Roxas is willing to compromise with the fiery red-head, and just for the blonde's hand Axel would walk the earth, so how hard could it be? Somehow the experience of being heartless made them more determined to hold onto any emotion they achieved now, and love being the strongest anyone can have, they are determined to make it last and never let it go.

Silent communication isn't one of their natural qualities together, but for once nothing needs to be said for them to understand. With fireworks exploding overhead, Roxas lets himself fall onto the red-heads shoulder, not daring to look over to his side, but breathes out quietly in relief with an arm accommodates him, resting on the back of the park bench.

Only Kairi and Namine seemed to be able to tell the difference between before the two left and after, but neither of them said anything when Roxas and Axel came back, slightly awkward with each other, yet softer, slower to annoy and yell at each other. "It's a step," the blonde girl had said way before they got back, showing her red-head companion the sketch she had been working on all night under the exploding lights in the sky.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" the Princess of Heart responded, analyzing the picture of a pyromaniac kissing a blonde former-keyblade bearer with a small knowing smile on her face.

Namine nodded, returning a small smile of her own. Then both girls turned their attention back to the fireworks with small smiles, taking comfort in each other's hand and the knowledge that finally everything is working out the way it should be.

**A/N: No, that last bit isn't meant to imply a Kairi/Namine pairing, though it can be if you want it to be XD. Aaanyway, it was extremely hard to write this, and I'm on vacation, so I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm not sure if it's as good as the soriku fireworks, but give me your opinion :) Sorry I haven't updated in like… what feels like forever D: It's heartbreaking for me, seriously… I'm also sorry if there are any mistakes, I didn't really proof-read this because I really wanted to post it before tomorrow because I don't know when I'll get onto the computer again, you know?**

**So, shout of for those who have stuck with me :') To: ****Tori Sohma,** **AnimeFreak4261, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn****, MsSupreme, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, and Skypiratelove**


	45. Rings

~Rings~

"Riku, look what I found!" Sora calls to his lover from the downstairs computer, fidgeting excitedly from his seat with his eyes glued to the bright Dell screen.

"What is it?" the aforementioned silverette calls back, immediately treading downstairs to figure out whatever the spiky-haired brunette found. He wonders what it could be; for the most part, the brunette only talks to people and plays games on Facebook or MySpace, so what could be important enough to bring the silverette down from his reverie he was supposed in from writing? Disturbing Riku from writing is dangerous business, even when you are the adorable and sexy Sora, and the brunette knows this.

When Riku gets to the computer, he rests a hand on Sora's shoulder and kneels slightly to bring him face to face to the screen. "You're lucky I was taking a writing break," the silverette states, looking at the brunette's beaming face.

"Ah, yes, yes I was, but look!" the thrilled brunette orders, glancing at the confused face of his lover.

When turquoise eyes met the glaringly bright screen, his confusion only swells; the link Sora is currently on is a common jewelry store named JamesAvery, on the ring section. Wait, what? Riku looks to the picture on the right hand side of the screen, demonstrating two identical rings, except for one being silver and the other being gold, that almost looked like choppy water all the way around it, being unsmooth as if a mini-hammer had flattened random spots all around the ring.

Before Riku can comment or ask what this is about, Sora explains, "I know it's kinda weird, but I saw this ring and immediately thought of you, and I thought you could have the gold one while I took the sil-"

"Wait, why would I get the gold one? I like silver better," interrupts the older male.

"Well… silver goes better on you, and gold goes better with me, so if we switched, it'd be like we would have a piece of each other wherever we went," the brunette explains somewhat bashfully. Riku is stunned into silence, just because Sora's proposition is too adorable to know what to say to it. It really is a perfect idea. However…

"You know what rings would mean for the two of us right?" the silverette immediately asks, looking back at the still-excited facial expression of Sora.

"Of course, stupid! It would be like best friend rings, right? Girls do that kind of thing all the time, so why can't we?" Obviously Sora had thought a lot about this because the confident expression on his face positively glowed.

"Err… Sora, most people know about us. If they saw the rings, they would think we got married or at least got engaged."

"That's silly, Riku. We all know guys aren't allowed to get married on Destiny Islands," he says before muttering as an afterthought, "even though they _should _be able to…"

Riku laughs a bit, kissing Sora's cheek quickly before commenting teasingly, "I guess you're right on that. And I guess I wouldn't mind if people thought we got engaged." While the conversation pauses, Riku smirks and waits for Sora's facial response to his suggestive comment, and he isn't disappointed; Sora blushes, looking to the right side of his chair towards the floor.

"I didn't really mean it that way… I'm sure you wouldn't actually… _want _that…" Sora says nervously, fidgeting with his hands.

The silverette is surprised by the sudden change in mood and topic of conversation, but he goes along with it, feeling the importance of the subject. "Sora…" Riku says with a sigh, wrapping his arms around the brunette, bringing him to his chest, "There seriously isn't anything that would make me happier than to be married or engaged to you, I just didn't think it was really possible."

Relieved, Sora glances up to the lightly blushing silverette with a bright smile and says somewhat teasingly, "Riku, are you proposing to me?" The silverette's blush deepens, but Sora looses sight of it when Riku ducks his face into the spiky lavender-cotton smelling hair. He mutters, "Maybe… if you want me to be."

Suddenly ecstatic, Sora squirms out of Riku's arms, only backing off slightly to look straight into the turquoise eyes he loves so much and says, "Nothing would make me happier."

A week later, when Sora and Riku got and wore the rings, Riku's point was proven right. Everyone who asked about the rings asked when they became engaged. The twinkle in both their eyes couldn't be more evident as they said 'oh, only a week or so ago,' before they would give each other a significant glance and burst into laughter.

**A/N: Absolutely nothing but fluff lol. Hope it made you guys smile:)**


	46. Cupcakes?

_~Cupcakes?~_

Many different things happen when I manage to get my ass out of bed before Sora does. Putting all the examples aside, today, I believe I received a treat.

You know that feeling you get when you realize today is going to be completely normal and possibly boring? That's what today is, the only exception being Sora not tackling me into awareness at 8 o'clock in the morning. Maybe that's why today feels too normal. But that's beside the point; it's too quiet when I brush my teeth, brush my hair (painfully, considering Sora isn't here to do it for me with those magic fingers of his… don't think about that too hard), and get dressed in peace. It's too quiet without my mom sending me desperate looks as Sora tries and fails to make a simple bowl of cereal because he's talking too fast to concentrate. It's too damn _quiet _without Sora at least five feet away from me.

"Sora's not here today," Mom tells me, stating the obvious, while sipping her cup of morning coffee quietly, relief written in her voice plainly. To her I shrug, grabbing a Paopu muffin off the counter for breakfast, idly wondering if I shared my muffin with Sora, would our 'destinies be intertwined'?

"I'm off, Ma," I call to her as I walk out of the kitchen and into the front hall. I don't even need to tell her where I'm going; she knows. And if she doesn't, she needs her IQ checked.

Scowling into the mirror adjacent to my front door, I leave the house, walking quickly down the street to none other than Sora's house, using the tree in his front yard to maneuver myself up to his window (because his Dad will be pissed if I wake him up by knocking on the front door, as I learned several years ago). Silently, I slide the glass separating me and him open, step in (he has a huge window ledge on either side) and close it just as quietly, watching Sora slumber for signs of awakening (and for other –cough- admiring reasons).

Not surprisingly, I manage to slip into his room with a perfect application of stealth, wondering what I should do now; wake him up, or watch him sleep? Or go through his stuff. Or draw on his face, just to make him need to take a shower and then… No, he'd be too pissed to let me in. Damn.

Admitting defeat, I sit at his computer desk, located next to his bed. Turning the speakers off, I press the computer's power button on, intending to hack Sora's account (the password is keyblade1234… So obvious) on Facebook and update his status with something that will make him blush. However, I never get that far, because as soon as the Windows log-on screen appears, I hear a noise.

The first time I hear it, I don't think Sora actually made it. It was soft and airy, but undeniably there and despite being convinced that I just haven't got any in too long, I turn my head to look at him, desperately trying to ignore the fact my pants just got ever-so-slightly tighter. Second go by and Sora sleeps on peacefully, breathing evenly in and out, so I shake my head, telling myself I'm just hearing things and turn back to the computer screen. I prop my hands onto the keyboard to type in the logon password when I hear the noise again, only slightly louder and more desperate. I whirl around again, thinking for sure this time that I actually heard something, only to see Sora, once again, sleeping normally. Blissfully unaware of my growing problem. As usual. I only gaze at him a second longer than usual, noting how adorable he is, on his side curled, hugging his old teddy bear for dear life. How I long to be that teddy bear.

Inwardly slapping myself for being so sappy, I turn back to the computer once again, typing in the logon address and successfully getting online. I start thinking that I might be going insane from the noises, I mean, there haven't been any more since the last one. But then I finally hear it _again _as I'm typing in Sora's email onto Facebook. Frozen in place now, thinking I really am losing it, I listen intently despite myself. When the shuffling of fabric greets my ears, I finally turn for the third time. Sora has flipped over onto his back, expression angry or as if he's in pain, hands over his head like he'd been pinned, his teddy bear still gripped tightly in his right hand.

I turn my whole body toward him now, prepared to wake him up if he continues to act like he's in pain. I know I hate nightmares, and so I wouldn't want my adorable one having them either. When he makes a small 'ah!' sound, I push against his shoulder lightly, eyebrows knitted together in concern. But as soon as I touch him, he wantonly groans, arching his back for only a moment before collapsing on the bed again.

"Ri…ku…"

Oh. Ooh._ Oh._ I get it now. Things just got ten times more interesting. Everything clicks into place with that one disjointed mutter, the emotions displaying deliciously on his face. With a smirk, I form a plan, watching him in sadistic amusement as my pants become tighter than ever.

Slowly, I caress his face with my hand, trailing from his cheek to his jaw and smile widely when he shivers, leaning his face into my touch. Feeling confident now, I leave my chair and kneel by his side before running my other hand up his chest, resisting the urge to chuckle when he moans again, the sound going straight from my ears to my groin. The hand on his cheek travels to his hair leisurely, kneading his scalp and untangling the soft auburn locks while the other hand teases his pert pink buds from under his shirt, knowing it'll make him twitch ecstatically. Unfortunately however, Sora begins to stir from the teasing so I am forced to pull away, knowing if I continue I will be caught.

Sure enough, as soon as I manage to look nonchalant at the computer screen, Sora's beautiful cerulean eyes open, his limbs stretching with a soft moan and a yawn before turning to look at me. A small 'eep!' escapes his lips once he realizes he isn't alone and he wraps his blanket around him frantically. In response, I turn to him slowly, one eyebrow raised questioningly. Someone should applaud me for my acting skills, because I'm laughing my ass off inwardly.

"Wh-wha- when did you get here?" he asks exasperatedly, trying to hide his excitement from down below by rearranging his blankets, failing miserably for surreptitiousness.

Smirking, I reply, "Oh, only a couple minutes ago. Go back to sleep, I haven't hacked your facebook yet."

Angrily, his cheeks turn red. "Shove off, Riku, last time you did that everyone seriously thought I was a girl!" Chuckling at the memory, I kick the chair back a bit, distancing myself from the computer so Sora would see I was kidding. Upon my retreat, he relaxes some until his eyes bright up and he changes his seating position again, further hiding himself from me. Ah, so he's still turned on. Operation Seduce-Sora is now underway.

"So, how'd you sleep?" I ask him innocently, picking at my nails to show I'm just making small chat.

"F-fine," he replies, "You're here rather early. Did you go to bed early or something?" I shrug, continuing to corner him verbally, "Did you have any dreams? You looked like you were in pain; I was worried."

"Er-r, it was nothing, don't worry about it," he tells me, averting his eyes from me, biting his bottom lip nervously. He's too adorable for his own good.

"Oh really?" I pry further, "You even moaned my name, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" I can barely keep a mischievous grin off my face as I say this, finding it even more difficult when Sora's facial expression is petrified with mortification.

"I- I what?"

"Yeah, you were totally freaking out," I inform him, unable to hold back a small smirk as Sora glares down into his lap, obviously cursing his testosterone to hell and back. "So, what were you dreaming about?" I ask persistently, determined to make him talk.

"Uhm… eh… err… It wasn't a nightmare, so just forget about it," he replies stubbornly.

"Oh, so it was one of _those _dreams," I conclude suggestively, watching in triumph as Sora blushes a deep red again, stuttering over his words helplessly.

"N-no it w-wasn't! It was… It was…"

"It was what?"

"…Cupcakes?"

Out of all the excuses Sora could've come up with, he blames his moans on _cupcakes?_ I can barely keep from laughing hysterically at his horrible lie, deciding to go along with it until he cracks. "You name your cupcakes after me? Sora, that's so disturbingly sweet!" I tell him, laughing. At my teasing response, he groans, face-palming before collapsing backwards onto his bed in defeat.

"Alright, alright, that wasn't it. Can you just leave it alone now?" he asks desperately, hiding his face behind his hands. Inwardly melting, I leave my chair and return to his side, resting my chin on my overlapped hands considerately.

"Now what fun would there be in that?" I ask him.

"The fun of catching me lie; that should fill your victory cup for awhile," he retorts grumpily, peeking at me through his fingers.

"I don't think so," I sing-song, joining him on his bed next to him.

"What do you want from me, then?" he asks, turning onto his side to look up at me as he supports his head from his propped up arm, making me want him more by his inviting stance. Sometimes I wonder if he does these things on purpose.

With a smirk, I lean in until I'm merely two inches away from his lips. His breath hitches softly and I look into his eyes mischievously, revealing my intentions silently before stating plainly, "You." Then I finally claim my prize, crashing my lips onto his beautiful pink ones, cherishing the immediate moan he gives me as we bring each other closer.

I am one damn sexy cupcake.

**A/N: I know, I haven't updated Nonsense in awhile, but in my defense, I kept trying to write a chapter for it, and they all turned into story ideas so I couldn't make it into a one shot thing. I started a new story called Stray Kitten all based off of my stay in Florida with Soriku and Akuroku in it… I'm surprised with myself because it's an actual story (with a lot of fluff and hilarity lol I swear I question my sanity when I write sometimes…). Three chapters are up on it; if you want to read I would be forever grateful :) Thank you everyone who has stuck with Nonsense thus far. I'm hoping to at least reach fifty before I can stop (but I really don't WANT to stop Nonsense… D: It's just getting harder to update… :(…) **

**Soo… Thank you to these WONDERFULLY FANSTICALLY ORGASMIC PEOPLE: ****AnimeFreak4261, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn****, MsSupreme, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala and Skypiratelove for all the AMAZING reviews, and thank you also to anyone who has favorited or story alerted this! :) You guys are the bomb, really and truly!**


	47. Three AM

_~Three A.M.~_

It's a shame really, that Riku can think best at 3 A.M. or so, just past the time that the confines of reality leave him; it's when he's completely alone, no one's awake, and so it's just him and the little voices inside his head. No, he doesn't have multiple personality disorder; that's not the point. The point is, is that on this certain _morning, _at exactly 3:00 A.M., Riku is thinking a lot. Much more the Winnie the Pooh, that's for sure. Now at such an early hour, as you can imagine, thoughts become a bit slippery. But the silverette never thought this to be necessarily a _bad _thing. Perhaps it's like becoming drunk except he isn't, but then again he's too young to drink so maybe he doesn't know, and therefore can't make that comparison. Hmm. Such complications lead the 19-year-old male to another line of thought.

He met someone today. This person wasn't really a person to him at all; he saw this short male as more of a kitten. He always seemed to have a distant, lost look about him and his skinny frame didn't help much either. Such lean, supple frames. His clothes had been torn and sandy. Being close the beach, he could easily write off the sand as being normal, but the tears…? The tears reminded him of tears, for the same lettering and all, and he wondered; could it be possible that for every rip in the clothing, this beautiful brunette might've cried? What a scary thought. The boy's eyes a_re _ocean blue, though, so maybe it's normal for these orbs to drip saltwater. But everyone knows that it doesn't rain saltwater! When water evaporates, it leaves behind the salt; everyone knows that. So, maybe, it _isn't_ natural for kittens to cry. The silverette kind of hopes it isn't.

The sheets stir, creating a rustling sound as his bedmate's legs shuffle around. Riku moves to accommodate the sleeping form next to him, barely breathing as his hopes from before are desperately replaced with new ones; _please don't wake up, don't wake up. _See, at 3 A.M., you can't expect this male to resist his primal urges to cuddle; it's just imprinted in his soul. Anyone who's ever been close to him has told him of his 'teddy bear complex'. Natural born cuddler, they call him. Thus, his arm is around the lithe, warm body next to him; and everything else is almost as close to his skin, the heat emanating tantalizingly. It's purely innocent; no one should object to cuddling. But Riku remembers another nickname he had been given; silver-snake. The redhead he's known for a long time is always calling him something with silver at the front of the word, and some form of animal at the end. Silver-snake, the fire demon had explained, applies to you because you are sly and surreptitious. You always know how to get what you want.

There's a big difference between cuddling and companionship, however; this is what Riku wants and contemplates. Sure, Riku could hold the lost kitten in his arms for now, but it's only a couple hours till he'll leave. Leave as soon as he came, just like a kitten. This one's even got crazy gravity-defying brunette locks; two of the spikes look like cat ears. To be honest, Riku doesn't know what that has to do with any of his previous thoughts, but he isn't in a place to care. What he cares about is that he picked up this stray kitten from the streets, and he wants the kitten to be his. All his. All the pain, tears, laughs, and smiles. Riku has never been someone to hold onto something; he's usually ok with letting things go. Like thoughts. They flutter away the moment they are born, never to be thought again, unless it's something like a math problem formula, because then you have to use it over and over again. Riku wants to use Kitten over and over again, but never hurt him. Oh no. That wouldn't be right; he's too pure, light, adorable to hurt. That would be like ripping the wings off an angel. Surely he would go to Hell for that.

I mean, sure, Riku isn't perfect, but his name means 'the shore' or was it 'land'? Either way, this means he's somewhere in between perfect and demonic; almost normal, except for his insatiable lust perhaps. But other than that he's honest, kind, helpful, fruitful- You know, kitten is all those things and more. He's so light. Oh wait, he already thought that. Well, 'light' has become very repetitive in his head because the sky is light (during the day anyway) and he learned that's the meaning of Kitten's name. _"Sora," he responded, looking up to meet the turquoise eyes belonging to the silverette_. That moment is another one of those repetitive thoughts. How strange.

Sora. _Sora. __**Sora. **_There's a nice ring to that name. So easy to say. It uplifts the corners of one's lips, Riku thinks, almost promising future smiles. Kitten's a very smiley person. Very sunny. Very frisky. He purrs. He purrs when Riku touches him. But Riku's not uncontrolled enough to test it all out; he only noticed the quick 'p-d-d-d' when his skin lightly touched the others. And now, with his arm around _Sora_, he hears a constant hum of purring. He's never been an animal kind of guy, but this particular purring is pretty comforting. But then again, everything about Sora is comforting. Riku likes the way he breathes. So unnaturally _airy _as if a part of it; unwillingly, the silverette can see himself and this form under the sheets, but it's so warm this time, almost unbearably so, but Riku's the one making the light one breathe so heavily under him. Only Riku can add weight to his breaths. "_Oh-h… R-riku."_

But he shouldn't think about that. The shiver up his spine just from the _idea _of Kitten's mewls proves it. And if he isn't careful, he'll leave. If he isn't silver-snake-like, Sora will blow away like the wind. For a moment vertigo overcomes his train of thought after this certain analogy makes itself known; _he's the mouse, and I'm the cat; I will catch this one. _But, no that's wrong, Riku. Sora's the kitten, remember? Still, Riku wants to catch Sora. Like a fly in a Venus fly trap? No, too violent. Like a hound chasing a squirrel? No, too impossible; squirrels are too fast for their own good. Hmm. Is it possible that cats can chase each other? That way, Riku can still chase Sora despite his kitten disposition. Or maybe he can be a catfish, and Riku could be a barracuda. Hmm. No, Riku doesn't want to _eat _Sora…

Well. Hmm. Depends on how you think about that, really.

But that's dangerous. He should stick with the kitty chase. The silverette almost giggles; the words 'kitty chase' are preposterously cute. Seriously, the English language is one of the most ridiculous languages on the planet. So cute. So adorable. So Sora. Oh, wait, Sora isn't an adjective. Riku's always been good at grammar; he should've known that before he thought it. But oh well, the thoughts gone again. Just like the others. But Sora is still so light. That thought's stubborn. It's staying. Riku hopes Sora will stay like his thoughts do sometimes.

Maybe he should sleep now. But it's not like it's something he can control. You can't just … _will _yourself to sleep. You can chase after sleep, but in the end, sleep always catches you, whenever it wants. If you fight it, sleep will win unless you have some caffeine on hand. Hmm. Sora's kind of like sleep then too; maybe Riku will chase and chase Sora, only to have him catch the silverette instead. What an idea. It would truly be ironic. Maybe even tragic; after all, Riku doesn't _have _any of the Sora-Antidote that was so nicely named 'caffeine'.

For some reason, that's when sleep steals him, dragging him into the darkness without much of a fight; it _is_ 3 A.M. you know. He has a right to be tired. It's funny though; throughout all this, the silverette _never _thought, not even _once_, of turning back, of running away from Kitten. He never once thought that he couldn't, shouldn't, chase Sora. He just thought it would be ironic if Sora caught him. So, in the end, this is a game. A game of cat and mouse; or rather, caught or be caught. But who's going to watch over this chaotic rendezvous? Fate; that is, if you believe in such things. And what will happen when one of them is caught? Or is that not really the solution? But what exactly is the problem? Love is never a problem, but the solution from before is simple; they need to be caught by each other.

But hold your horses; it's three in the morning, and my point has been made. Thoughts are slippery, they come and go, never mentioned again. It's the rare ones that stick that you need to look out for, because if you hold something dear, you have to grip it tight and never let it go. If you're able to let it go, then it's meant to go by and never come back, like the passing thoughts through the day.

And these are the things that Riku thinks about at three in the morning.

**A/N: I'm honestly not sure if this will make any sense... I seriously DID write this at 3 A.M... I was trying to force the writers block away. The horrible thing just keeps coming and going and it's really, really frustrating, since I feel like I'm running out of time and blehhhh... Anyway lol. If any of you guys have read Stray Kitten, this will make a lot more sense, just saying. Tell me if it's just total nonsense to you... (well, I guess that's the point, isn't it?) I think that this is just ambiguous, considering well... It's meant to be like someone's train of thought when they're tired, like I was. So, review please! :) This is number 50! (since you got the sex chapter a little early heh). I can't believe I've gotten this far... O.O**

**And so, to my lovely, paradisaical reviewers: ****AnimeFreak4261, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn****, ****MsSupreme****, katy2000, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala and Skypiratelove. You guys have made my summer (and part of the last school year) absolutely incredible!**

******_This is not the end of the series by the way._ I plan to do more (and have started more, just haven't really put the pieces together [OMG QUOTE TIME: I want to line the pieces up, yours...and mine. For anyone who can say which KH character says that, and in what game, you shall win a cookie!])**

******Thanks for reading! :D -love, Hannahble **


	48. Scratch N Sniff

_~Scratch and Sniff~_

**Note: Sora and Riku are about 4-5 years old.**

The way Sora and Riku met was out of the ordinary.

Little Riku was being quiet, as usual, sitting at his plastic red table with a green crayon in his hand, coloring a lilypad from his favorite coloring book. Predictably, he was alone. The other kids in the babysitting center generally just avoided him because the silverette simply never said anything.

But the new kid didn't know that.

When little Sora first arrived to the babysitting facility, his ocean-blue eyes immediately fell on the silver hair. He thought '_She's cute'_ and ran over to the unsuspecting child, unaware as all the other children looked upon his boldness in awe.

Once he reached the cute silver-haired 'girl' he saw, he stood there next to her for a full minute, just watching. Riku was too lost in his own little world to notice him, but Sora didn't really mind. The brunette thought the silverette was odd; she looked like a girl, what with her cherub hair that kind of reminded him of an army helmet or a mushroom, but she didn't act like one. For someone so adorable, Sora thought she would be very talkative and smiley, but alas she was very quiet.

_What if she isn't real?_

Upon this startling thought, Sora did the only thing he could think of to make sure the coloring girl was, in fact, real; he reached out and, with a single finger, scratched Riku's shoulder softly. Turquoise eyes immediately snapped up, scouring his surroundings for the reason behind the disturbance in his important coloring. However, he only found a small boy with spiky chocolate-brown hair. Usually, Riku would tell whoever was bothering him to bug off, but this was different; you wouldn't know what to do either if someone else was sniffing your shoulder, now would you?

"What are you doing?" Riku asked, speaking for the first time in a week. All the other kids close enough to hear him gasped, instantaneously pivoting around to stare at the silver-haired boy. He can talk!

Upon hearing a voice above him, Sora's blue eyes widened and he stood up straight frantically, narrowly avoiding hitting Riku's nose with his forehead. With a thoroughly shocked expression and blushing cheeks, the brunette replied, "Scratch-n-sniff. I-I was making sure you were real, but you don't smell like anything!"

Poor little Riku was lost for words. His eyes widened as well; should he be mad, sad, or should he laugh? Surely this kid doesn't know who he's dealing with; Riku had never seen him before, so he must be new. But how could he think Riku wasn't real? He's here, isn't he? Deciding this little blushing ball of adorableness was interesting and perhaps worth his attention, Riku asked, "What did you expect me to smell like?" Although this could be interpreted to be a sarcastic question, little Riku was genuinely curious.

Little Sora shuffled his feet, staring at the floor nervously. After a moment, he said, "Well… I don't know. Something sweet and pretty, I guess."

"But I'm not a girl," Riku exclaimed, expression a little devastated considering Sora was certainly not the first one who had questioned his gender before.

Sora's blue orbs looked up again into the face of a blushing Riku, wondering how in the world such a cute person could be a boy. For several moments they just stared at each other as the other children held their breath, speculating what will happen next. In the end, Riku muttered, "You're pretty too..."

"But I'm not a girl either!" Sora is brave enough to respond with. "My name is Sora, and that's a boy's name!"

At the sight of his determined angelic face, his rumbled clothes despite the early hour, and the hint of Crayola marker color on his hands, the silverette suddenly decided that he liked this new kid named Sora, despite the fact that he sniffed his shoulder (because he assumed that he wasn't real) and called him a girl. With a small smile and laugh (all the kids witnessing the scene gasped in absolute shock again) Riku replied, "Well, my name is Riku, and that's a boy's name too." Then he proceeded to pull Sora closer to him by his arm, causing his new friend to gasp. However, only a moment later he was able to regain his balance when the silver-haired child let him go. "And you smell like… Lucky Charms," he finished, smirking at the brunette with sparkling aqua-eyes.

Sora giggled. "That's what I had for breakfast this morning."

Smiling still, Riku sat back down at his table. "So did I," he admitted, watching without complaint as Sora joined him at the plastic red table. Silently, Riku placed the box of crayons in the middle of the table and handed Sora a coloring book.

"Thank you… Hey Riku?"

"Hnn?"

"I'm glad you're real," the brunette said, eyes bright and sincere.

Thoroughly touched and shocked, Riku blushed again, stuttering back, "Y-you too, Sora."

From then on, Riku never sat alone at his red plastic table… But he did, however, get scratched and then sniffed. A lot.

**A/N: Pahaha, thank you Facebook for letting me befriend someone who updated their status with "Don't you want a real one, you know, that you can scratch and sniff?" And it tickled me pink, so I just… had do to something XD **

**Chapter 51! :D thank you guys for all the support! :D Please review:) The blue link is calling to you…**


	49. Aphrodisiac

_~Aphrodisiac~_

"Lemme go, lemme go, lemme go, lemme gooooo!"

"Nuh-uh, Riku, we haven't had sex three days!"

Now, I know your mind has just been blown . If it hasn't, then you clearly don't understand what you just read. Before you start sputtering incoherently like our poor silverette has, let me explain. Or rather, let me pause the scene just for you; go ahead, take a moment of silence to really grasp it.

…

Alright! On with the scene!

Riku, a healthy young man with silver hair (that is currently disheveled), kicks his legs fruitlessly against the grip of Sora's hand, spouting every reason under the sun as to why having sex right now would **not **be a good idea. If he were honest with himself, he would know that none of the excuses are very good but _still, _he had been doing homework next to his best-friend-gone-lover before all this started! He needed to finish his essays and geometry and…

"That's not long at all, Sora! What the hell has gotten into you?" Riku exclaims, feeling like a kicked puppy as Sora easily overpowers him, somehow pinning him to his own full-sized navy-blue sheeted bed. His wide, surprised turquoise eyes look exasperatedly into the wild blue ones above him, taking in his lover's full face. The brunette's cheeks are as flushed as a ripe cherry while his hair is sticking out in more various directions than usual in a bed-head kind of way, a look Riku usually receives glimpses of specifically when the younger male is under_ him_. Seriously, this is totally off! He must be dreaming; Riku is always the one who seduces Sora, not the other way around.

"Nothing has gotten into me, Riku; I'm simply being a sexually frustrated teenager," Sora responds matter-of-factly, his legs swinging over Riku's hips to straddle him down. When the brunette is satisfied with his victim's helplessness, he removes his tight grip on the silverette's shoulders, crossing them over his chest smirking.

"Sora… I'm the sexually frustrated teen. Who are you and what have you done with my Sora?" Riku asks bewilderedly, making a good point. In response Sora merely pouts and glares, crossing his arms tighter childishly. Riku snorts; Sora can maybe _start _the spark but that doesn't mean he knows the first thing about tending the fire. This is why Riku is the seme, after all.

After about thirty seconds of Sora consistently pouting, he finally pleads, "Riku, please? I feel weird, and you need to fix it!"

"Weird how?" Riku asks, actually becoming a little concerned. He lifts his upper half up by his elbows, tilting up his face just slightly to get closer to Sora's. The brunette's breath hitches audibly and Riku inwardly frowns; he usually pushes the silverette away when he gets this close, blushing and smiling embarrassedly.

"I dunno Riku… my body feels really hot."

"Are you sick?" Riku continues to question, shifting slightly so he can bring one hand to his lover's forehead. When his skin touches Sora's, Riku's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline; Sora is burning up!

But Sora shakes his head, explaining, "I was fine all day until I ate that chocolate Axel gave me…"

… You know something's up when it involves Axel. "Sora, can you show me this chocolate?"

Surprisingly, Sora complies, nodding his head and clambering off of his boyfriend hurriedly. He leaves the room for only a moment, coming back with a fancy-looking box of chocolate. Riku immediately snatches it out of Sora's hands, examining the box carefully as his suspicions rise. Although there are questionable names on the box like 'Blue Boy' (isn't that a gay bar?), Riku can't find anything to prove that these chocolates have anything odd about them. The flavors are normal... Just out of curiosity, Riku opens the box, chuckling when he finds 85% of the delicious treats are missing. Glancing quickly over to Sora, he watches the brunette shuffle his feet sheepishly. If he hadn't already been blushing, the silverette is sure he would've upon the elder's discovery.

"Riku, you're not going to eat any, are you…?" Sora questions quietly, unable to help himself as he plops down next to his lover on his bed, leaning on the elder's shoulder while curling his knees into his chest.

"Hmm," is the only thing Riku says before popping a couple into his mouth. Sora makes a noise of protest but it's already too late. After Riku swallows, he says, "You can't have them all to yourself, Sora… these are pretty good too…"

"But what if they make you sick?" the brunette objects, eyebrows knitted together in concern. However, Riku just waves him off, examining the box again carefully. This time, he decides to check the ingredients. Although Riku has never found anything helpful in past experiences in checking food labels, he decides that it would be a good idea this time, just for Sora's sake; maybe he's allergic to something in the chocolate. His eyes scan down the long, unnamable ingredients rather uninterestedly for a good minute and then… he finds it.

At the very bottom of the list of impossible-to-pronounce words, there is a small, but simple, caveat.

**Warning: This chocolate contains an aphrodisiac; symptoms may include increased sexual desire (for men, an erection), fever, migraine,…**

And the list goes on and on. For a moment, Riku just stares at it, silver eyebrows reaching toward his hairline again. Only until Sora asks, "R-riku…?" does he snap out of it, eyes averting away from the box and to Sora's still-frenzied eyes.

Well, suddenly everything makes sense.

Riku is so going to kill Axel tomorrow. "Sora," the silverette starts lightly, "I forbid you from eating anything Axel gives you for now on."

"W-why?" the brunette asks, releasing a small eep as Riku pushes his lover lightly down onto the bed. Maybe it's because of the chocolates he himself ate, but either way Riku has already given in to Sora's earlier request. Placing himself in between Sora's legs, he doesn't answer the brunette's question immediately, instead placing a simple kiss on his lips.

But because Sora isn't exactly feeling normal, he presses himself completely up against his silverette, opening his mouth slightly thus deepening the kiss. Riku definitely isn't going to deny the offer and so before either of them really realize what's going on, they're kissing passionately over and over furiously.

When they part breathlessly, Sora's cheeks are even redder than before and his blue eyes are just a little more desperate. Looking fondly at the beautiful face under his own, Riku finally answers Sora's previous question, "Because I love you."

The words send an intense shiver up Sora's spine, resulting in a breathy moan. "I-I love you too, Riku."

And so, the matter is resolved; let's just say they have a lot of fun with the chocolates throughout the evening, even to the point that Riku is too tired to yell at Axel the next day. So in conclusion… it's just another hilarious and sultry misadventure in the lives of Sora and Riku.

**A/N: I don't own the 'Blue Boy' chocolates… that, my friends, is from a yaoi manga I've read (It's really good; called Love Mode) so yeah, anyyyyyway XD **

**Yeah the ending it kinda lame, but this whole thing is just for laughs really so why not, eh? XD Did it make you laugh? It made me laugh… to the point I couldn't write it down for awhile :) I hope this chapter isn't too horrible XD **

**Love you guys! Updates soon!**


	50. The Blue Veins

~The Blue Veins~

There are many things in life that come and go without a trace. Sometimes, it's the people you walk by on the street, nameless and almost-featureless once they walk past. Out of sight, out of mind, right? It's rather ironic, the way that Somebodies go along so uncaring and oblivious, actually choosing to stay that way. They have hearts to explore, and yet they ignore it and the hearts around them. So _shallow._

Despite the fact that Roxas didn't have a heart, he made sure he left his mark. Ok, so maybe he hadn't intended to- he's a Nobody, he really couldn't care enough to consciously plan it, especially being half of the pure-hearted Keyblade Bearer- but Sora was never the same once Roxas submerged back into place, the memories, non-feelings, and memorized _things _that just stuck onto Roxas' mind, and therefore transferring to Sora's.

But Riku wasn't exactly complaining. In fact, the silverette was rather fascinated by it all. You could say that Nobodies are the empty shells of what used-to-be, but without that _life _flowing through them, how could their skin glow? They obviously managed to make their face mock any human emotion, even if just normalcy, but the rest of their skin… Well, translucent would almost be an understatement. Hence the overbearing black coats, covering everything patch of epidermis possible.

So, when you take a lively Sora and merge it with the empty, translucent shell, you get what exactly? Sora, being strong, doesn't really change at all in his heart. And for that, of course, Riku is desperately grateful. However, there is _one thing _about Sora that changed when Roxas went through him like a ghost, imprinting all he knew into the Keyblade Bearer—and that, is his veins.

They are all blue.

When Sora stripped himself to prepare for bed that first night of being the host of two merged people instead of just one, he panicked when he caught a glimpse in the mirror. His veins didn't bulge out of his skin as if he were aging, but yet, you could see every one of them, racing down his arms and everywhere else that his muscles couldn't hide, especially his wrists. Besides his veins, the tan skin he had been so used to was paler; just enough to be noticeable by someone who cared to look.

Riku, being startled by the shriek that managed to resound through the wall over to his lonely room (he had just been staring at the ceiling, a bit lost in thought), immediately sprang into action, thinking about Xemnas, Heartless Ansem, or any other dark vicious enemy attacking his best friend- only to find Sora wearing nothing but a pair of light-and-navy-blue boxers, his bright sea-eyes staring aghast at the mirror. Upon the door opening, Sora whirled around in half-panic, only relaxing when he realized who had invaded his privacy. One thing about the two of them; they didn't care about invading each other's space, because as far as they are concerned, the space is merely shared.

When the silverette sent Sora a confused, worried look, scrunching his white eyebrows together, the brunette responded with an exasperated look, thrusting out his arms to display his prominent veins as if to say, 'What the hell is this?'

The soft thump of Riku's shoes across the floor were his only response until they stood only a foot away from each other. The silverette wasn't the type to be hesitant to touch when he wants to; pale, calloused hands pulled Sora's wrist closer to him for inspection, the aquamarine eyes gazing at them in concerned fascination.

"Startlingly beautiful…" the silverette muttered, the statement a mere whisper in the air.

"What?" Sora asked, arms still outstretched. His body twitched involuntarily when Riku began to trace the blue lines across Sora's somewhat-lighter-than-before-skin (which he didn't fail to notice, he just chose not to comment). Slowly, Sora pulled his arms away, not resisting the touch, just uncomfortable by all the attention; you would think he would've been used to it by now, though, considering Riku has always been like that. Still, it drove Sora crazy with… something; he just didn't know what exactly.

"Nothing," Riku commented, trying to look nonchalant as he flipped some of his hair out of his eyes, "When did you get veins like that?"

Shrugging while observing his wrist for something- either it was the answer to the question, or the red blooms on his skin that _should've_ been there where Riku had touched; he felt like his skin was tingling, almost shiver-worthy, though for the life of him, he couldn't tell you _why_- "I dunno. They weren't like this the last time I checked."

"Maybe merging with Roxas has something to do with it," Riku mused cleverly, thinking about the couple of glimpses he saw under the Organization XIII's coats.

Once again, Sora shrugs, already uncaring of it; he was never the one to really care about how he looks, a personality trait he acquired after trying to wrestle with his hair in vain. Not only that, Sora couldn't stay on one subject for too long. "So, what were you doing before I scared you half to death?" the brunette asked, gathering his clothes to place haphazardly in a corner of the room; he saw no point in changing into clothes when he was about to go to bed, despite the dazzling silverette's presence.

Riku snorts, somewhat impressed that the usually oblivious male actually noticed his previous alarm. "Ha, nothing important. I was just zoning out."

"About?" Sora continues to pry, sitting back on his bed casually, his hands behind his head supportingly. Turquoise eyes indifferently watch Sora as his limbs adjust to make himself comfortable; nothing really crossed his mind except idle thoughts of 'I wonder how soft his skin is' and 'why does he glow all the time?'

It was Riku's turn to shrug; he really didn't care enough about his thoughts to go into it. It wasn't that he really had anything to hide, honestly. Sora seemed to get the silent message and a companionable silence shadowed the room.

Then suddenly, Sora commented, "I feel weird sleeping alone."

Involuntarily shuffling toward his best friend, eyes bright with something a little different than before- curiosity, or the sense of opportunity?- Riku replied, "What do you mean?"

Sora nodded, eyes cast in another direction as he explained, "I got so used to Donald and Goofy's snores and sleep-talk that I can barely stand the silence."

The unusual melancholy tone Sora adapted brought Riku to take a couple steps forward and sit innocently at the edge of the brunette's boring, but soft and springy, bed. Not exactly sure how to amend the situation, Riku offered somewhat unsure and hesitantly, "I could hang out in here until you fall asleep, if that'd help."

Instantaneously Sora turned his head with wide, excited eyes. "You'd do that, Riku?" he asked, obviously happy and surprised by the silverette's response.

Unable to keep the small smile off his face, he assented, "Sure, you need to sleep, right?"

Sora enthusiastically nodded, subsequently gesturing to Riku to sit right next to him. Furrowing his eye brows again, Riku moved slowly, finally ending with the leg that's farthest away from Sora propped up while the other stretched outward. When the older turned his inquisitive expression toward the younger, Sora explained innocently, "We can just share the bed; that way we can both get some sleep!"

And for probably the billionth time in their friendship, Riku was utterly caught off-guard. The emotion must've shown on his face because Sora laughed a little, continuing, "You can go ahead and change if you want; I'm sure you don't want to go to bed fully dressed."

The equivalent of what went through Riku's mind then was '….'. It was just one of those moments where he couldn't find a response. Should he actually get up, shred most of my clothing because he sleeps like Sora does, and battle over the covers with his best friend throughout the night? It was frightening how appealing that sounded to him. Even if he didn't want to, how could he possibly refuse?

With that 'excuse' in mind, he said, "…Ok," and leapt up from the bed, making quick work of his shirt and pants, painfully aware of Sora's eyes on his back. It was enough for him to blush, just a little. By the time he crawled under the covers, noting nervously that either they are extremely close, or Sora has the heat of the Sun itself, he observed that Sora was absolutely beaming at him. It caused him to ponder how much sleep the lively brunette had really been missing.

"Ah, thank you so much, Riku. I already feel better," Sora confirmed, relief clearly written on his face. The silverette suddenly got an urge to pull his fingers through his companion's hair and smile, his silent way of saying 'It was really no problem'. But of course, Riku didn't move an inch, minus adjusting himself so that he was comfortable.

"D-don't mention it," the silverette finally replied, voice a little shaky but yet somehow husky, the volume of the sound soft as he feels the hushed quiet of the night.

In finalization, Sora sighed contentedly after the hum of Riku's voice, already feeling drowsy enough to not notice when he shifted closer to the elder, drawn into the warmth found there. Startlingly, the brunette fell asleep mere moments after, exhaustion taking over due to the more-nights-than-he-can-count of 2 or 3 hours of sleep. Somehow Riku found this so _Sora _and amusing that he chuckled, gathering his bearings before deciding that it would be alright after all to play with the brunette locks because hey, his hair is a an agreeable distance away from his hand anyway. When his eyes became heavy after listening to the soothing, constant sound of the younger's breathing, they fell to Sora's wrist that was facing the ceiling, his unoccupied hand trailing over to the blue streets, mapping them out with the tips of his fingers. Sora purred. And so, until Riku fell asleep, he ended up idly tracing the blue veins on Sora's wrist that started it all and toyed with the brunette's soft hair, his last thought being somewhere on the lines of how soft his skin and hair is, always.

From then on, Sora never had to miss a night of sleep again, and Riku had never felt more at peace.

* * *

**A/N: It's been awhile… Or it feels like it, to me. I started high school… O.O My lord, was that chaotic and stressful… But I'm really happy I'm there haha. Anyway, off topic.**

**It's been amazing, this last summer, and it's most due to you guys, and my readers for Stray Kitten. For that, I thank you a million times over. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life (which is odd for me), what to be passionate about, but I found it in writing. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I'm only fourteen, but hey, that just gives me time to learn more and mature more in my writing, right? :)**

**So, without further ado, I want to dedicate my summer and self-realization to: ****AnimeFreak4261, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn,****MsSupreme, katy2000, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala, EmoArtistEmy, and Skypiratelove.**


	51. Blonde Vs Silver

~Blonde Vs. Silver~

Sora loves Riku, he really does. Of course Sora admires him. He's tall, gorgeous, witty, and generally badass… but sometimes, he has to admit that despite the silverette's all-A marks in school, the poor guy might as well have amnesia.

"Uhm, Sora, where do we go after this?" The bell had just rung, signaling the end of 5th period. Their reading class, the one they are currently shuffling out of while attempting to organize their backpacks, is one of the few classes they were blessed to receive together. They have swimming, lunch, and reading to look forward to; that's it.

They have been separated from their beloved summer for about a month now, but Riku still can't get his schedule straight. Or the location of his classes. Or the combination to his locker. Or remembering anything, for that matter. Good thing Sora is observant. "**You **go to Latin while **I **go to Geography," Sora reminds the silverette, who nods firmly to hide his sheepishness.

As they continue down the flooded hall with assorted kids that they may or may not know, their conversation lives on, ranging from homework to the weekend plans in the short amount of time they have to reach their next assigned location. They would walk slowly to prolong their time together but seven minutes to walk more than 1/3 of a mile through a mob of a hundred of other people tends to slow down the process; albeit reluctantly, they are practically power-walking through the linoleum halls.

Sooner than they wish, they approach their separating point. "Well, I'll guess I'll see you later," Sora says brightly, looking up at his tall companion. Riku replies, "Yeah," looks around quickly, then ducks down for a quick peck on the lips, arousing a bright smile onto the younger's face.

The silverette takes a step back and Sora edges closer to the classroom door, premonition sparkling in his eyes. He hesitates, but soon Riku blushes and asks, "Where's my Latin class again?"

Laughing at his boyfriend's usual absentminded-ness, Sora responds, "A108, Riku. It's down by the senior's hall."

Rubbing the back of his neck, the silverette says, "Oh yeah, thanks. See yah," and walks away, leaving the brunette to his chuckles. After a moment he turns around and enters the already-full classroom, taking his seat next to Kairi.

"Which do you think is worse; being silver-haired, or blonde?"

Luckily for him, the redhead immediately catches onto his train of thought, her purple eyes suddenly lightening up out of their previous boredom. "Hmm… I don't know, Sora, Namine can be pretty blonde sometimes." She smiles a little, amusement twinkling in her eyes similarly to Sora's. As the brunette jumbles through his backpack- searching for last night's homework- he replies, "But so can Riku- I don't really mind or anything, I just think it's kinda funny- I wonder how he can be so brilliant yet so…?" He trails off, trying to come up with a nice word that means forgetful and (sometimes) insensible.

"Blonde," Kairi finishes for him, smiling widely when Sora blushes, muttering "I didn't say he was blonde…"

That's when the teacher calls out, "Get out your vocab. book so we can check over the homework. It was…" and the conversation ended, but one thing was established; silverettes are more blonde than blondes themselves.

**A/N: Alright, for those of you who read my last author's note, I lied. I've decided to keep Nonsense going just because most the feedback asked me to:) thank you guys for reviewing! I know this one's short, but today I got a bunch of little drabble-like ideas. I hope they're up to par… Tell me whatchya think:) **

**Updates soon! :D (ah, it feels so good to say that…)**

**Kudos to: AnimeFreak (you know who you are), Axel Heartless, Digimatic, phantombullets240 and Tori Sohma for convincing me to keep this going XD **


	52. Chlorine

_~Chlorine~_

The silverette and the brunette stand side by side in their shared lane, in nothing but tight, black swim shorts, goggles, and swim caps (although one of them is currently only holding it). Sora's hair sticks out from under the annoying stretchy blue rubber attempting to cover his skull, but he doesn't even try to fix the arrangement, knowing it's a long lost cause. Riku on the other hand just looks kind of unusual compared to his typical look, with his hair up in a casual-yet-tight bun. Struggling only a little bit, the taller male slips the cap over the tied-up silver strands, scowling at the knowledge of how ridiculous he looks. Sora giggles, unable to help himself.

Both of them are on their high school's swim team, and by now anyone can see the two have a dynamic relationship. Once moment, they are laughing heartily at each other, the next they are about to engage in a heated race, thus resulting in the school swim record being broken by one of them. The coaches think that it's healthy, but everyone else has to disagree. Why? Well, the two teenager's conversations simply worry the other team mates. Example:

Riku is only slightly groggy from waking up at 5 A.M. for morning practice, rather calm and unassuming. Sora, however, is riled up and ready to go. Unfortunately, the person he must take it out on is, of course, the silverette. The deep blue eyes, unaffected by the blue chlorine water just five feet away, avert to gaze at the white write-on board, silently contemplating the warm-up written on it. Soon a smirk weeds its way onto his face, but Riku catches it almost immediately, his 'Sora's-Planning-Something-Devious-Radar' going off.

"Sora, whatever you're planning to put me through this morning, I won't do it."

The cerulean eyes previously enraptured by the board slide back over to the silverette's turquoise ones, which currently look grey under the somewhat dim lighting and contrasting blue water close to him. Smirk still in place, Sora calculates quickly, leaning over and whispering into Riku's ear, "If I finish the warm-up first, I'm seme next time."

Riku's cheeks noticeably flush, but the rest of his facial expression is purely affronted and competitive. His whole aura screams, 'Oh, hell no.' and the brunette can't help but laugh at his secret lover's reaction. Thank god the other members of the team don't know what 'seme' means, aside from a blonde girl a couple lanes down (there are 8 in all) that is a part of the anime club. Otherwise, due to Sora's lack of whispering skills, the whole team would fully understand the lengths of their relationship. However, the conversations and weird glances the two give each other still manage to give some of the others suspicious, or at least just make them uncomfortable.

Although the silverette is fully aware he's fallen into the younger's trap, he replies recklessly, "You're on." Simultaneously, they place their goggles over their eyes.

"Be in the water in two minutes!" the coach reprimands loudly, his voice echoing across spacious Natatorium. Several swimmers in other lanes lean over, one leg back and one forward while both arms reach forward at the edge of the pool; the diving position.

In less than thirty seconds, several people have dived into the water, swimming casually to ease themselves into the future vigorous practice. Although the method is unorthodox, Riku and Sora go on either the right or left-most side of the lane and bend over into the diving position too. The rest of the teammates know better than to question or request them to take turns doing the warm up properly, and just back away or retreat to another lane.

"Let's start on the top," Sora says, referring to leaving when the next minute beings. 2:51… 2:52… 2:53…

"Got it," Riku grunts, mind already set on the task at hand, and doing said task in record time. Sora joins the train of thought, eyes trained at the blue, most likely freezing, water.

2:59… 3:00! And then they're off, diving rapidly down into the water. Although the water IS extremely cool, neither of them wince, legs stuck together into a forceful butterfly kick before they reach the surface of the water again. Their legs plow through the water while their arms reach out, stretching their torsos without delay and into the fastest stroke; freestyle. 15 seconds go by, and then thirty… The two are almost neck and neck, passing each other up at different times, depending on who flips at the end of the lane the fastest, but also who puts in that little extra effort to kick. The coaches merely look on in amusement, unable to ignore their pride of their competitively active boys.

Before the clock can figure out that time is being defied, the two have swam the beginning 12 laps (each lap is 25 yards; it's common for the initial warm-up to be a '300', followed by some strength laps where they are either only kicking, or only using their arms). Although they sped through the first two laps, after that they set their pace at something their bodies could adapt to and persevere in. They move onto the next thing; kicking 8 laps on 30 seconds each. A piece of cake for them, especially during a race. Needless to say, especially since they've been on the team so long, they finish extremely early, but still panting.

For once, Sora finishes first.

If you've ever seen a gaping fish, that would be a good comparison as to what Riku looks like. It isn't that he is outraged that Sora finished first (it was only by less than a second) but instead that Sora… is going to have the power tonight, because their competitions are **final**… and he isn't exactly sure how he feels about that. Sora's never exactly challenged him _that_ way, and _**won**_, before. Quite honestly, he can't imagine himself begging for Sora; it's usually the other way around.

The silverette finally notices that every wary emotion he has is displaying vividly on his face when Sora gets a mischievous, determined look in his eyes. It forces Riku to nibble at his bottom lip; his secret nervous habit. He's going to develop more of those, surely, by the time he and his lover make it back to the brunette's empty house. What's even worse, Riku is actually a little _aroused _by the whole idea, which is not good, considering the penis-shrinking water he's in, and will remain in for the next two hours.

He's painfully aware of this fact over the next five minutes as the other swimmers finish up their warm-up. Sora remains only a foot away, thus tempting every fiber of his being, but the water… A small tremor snakes across his skin from the cold. The only thing Riku can think is 'Fml,' and who can blame him?

But Sora, who is aware of the silverette's predicament considering he has his own southern discomfort, already intends to make up for it; he's got the whole night planned out. In fact, he planned this situation a long time ago, but he had to make sure he'd win the race first. Now that he has, oh man, Riku won't know what hit him. There won't be candles or things like that; no, it's just their normal sex (though that in itself is sexy enough). But still, with Sora topping, it's completely different. Admittedly, Sora is already feeling nervous, but is assured by the mental images. Both of them contemplate the options throughout the rest of practice, sending them the drive to keep going, even when their muscles tire. The beginning is always the same between them, repeating over and over again like a mantra:

…Their hair will be slightly tangled from the frazzling day of school. Their eyes will be bright, yet tired, showing the relief they find in each other. Their homework will remain in their fraying backpacks on the living room couch, doomed to be cursed in the morning when they realize the work still needs to be done. Their clothes will be rumpled from the day's toil but it doesn't matter because they won't stay on for long. They'll kick off their shoes at the door, to save themselves from the awkward moment. They will haphazardly make their way up the stairs, then proceed to stumble into Sora's trashed room, tripping over game controllers and empty water bottles. The room will suddenly seem overly hot. And then… when they sweat, they'll undeniably smell like chlorine. This has to be crème-of-the-crop, despite its oddity. To them, that distinct chemical aroma has to be the sexiest in world, considering all the competitions and sexual innuendos that have come to life because of it. The scent is simply _them;_ crisp, clear, somehow sweet, yet somehow musty and strange; and neither of them would have it any other way. They look forward to the moment that this fact will acknowledge itself in the haze of their afterglow, almost like that moment right before you die and your life supposedly flashes before your eyes. They live for that ever-repeating cycle, fueled ultimately by each other and the smell of chlorine- reminding them of the bond they share that no one except themselves can really understand and the constant random inspiration it brings.

**A/N: Uhm… I'm not exactly sure if this one's ending was great (or decent) but I've been looking at it for a couple hours now and it's totally not getting anywhere. So I'm posting it.**

**Random enlightenment: I have been working on several different updates for nonsense at once. One coming up is called 'City of Ashes' where… I did something very different:) It's a collab-oneshot. I couldn't get myself to finish it, so I got a friend to help me out. She's amazing lol. She writes better than I do, so now I'm jealous, yet honored to have her work on my writing:) I'm sure you'll be able to tell the difference between her writing in mine… But I've been trying to edit my work to match hers (pahaha, not working very well, considering she has a bigger vocabulary DX). **

**Anyway, thanks for the patience guys! I'll have updates soon ^_^**


	53. City of Ashes

_~City of Ashes~_

**Augustus XXIII, LXXIX A.D. (August 23, 79 A.D.)  
**

"Sora, can you help me out for a second?"

The moment the words were spoken, it took a mere two seconds for the family owned _servus_ to appear at Riku's side, asking cordially, "Yes, master?"

Amusement, yet a hint of mild exasperation emerge into the turquoise eyes of the 'master'. "I've asked you this _mille_ times already; address me not by my title but by the name given to me by my mother, call me Riku!" the silverette beseeches his brunette friend. This has been a long-fought battle amongst them, one that Riku has never won, despite his 'master' status. Quiet possibly because Riku isn't actually the master; he's the master's son, the youngest _filius_ out of four brothers, thus undeserving of any 'master' title.

"I'm sorry, master; either I call you as such, or I call you by your family surname," the slave replies, a soft smile on his face. Riku merely rolls his eyes to this reply, a little worried about his life-long friend' s unassuming behavior.

"You could call anyone in my family Licinus and have us all confused as to which one you meant; I want to be called 'Riku'."

Sora shrugs, causing his huge shirt is shift dramatically around his lean form; despite himself, Riku can't look away.

"What did you need of me?" Blue eyes rise to meet Riku's distracted orbs, startlingly blue enough to snap him out of his tripping train of thought.

"Oh, uhm…" In truth, he had bemusedly forgotten why he called Sora in the first place. Maybe- and this idea is more likely than not- he just wanted someone to talk to. He has been inside all day; not even his parent's shops had managed to keep him entertained. Not that he actually _wanted_ to work, he just needs that as an excuse to get Sora to relax and slip into his real self, not that 'obeying-orders' Sora.

"I need someone to play chess with me," Riku concludes, stating whatever decided to spout out of his mouth first.

Sora only looks mildly surprised; having been sold to this family since he turned 12 (whilst Riku himself was only thirteen), the silverette's randomness isn't exactly new to him.

"Where's the board?" the brunette replies, a casual smile accompanied by competitive, excited light weeding its way onto his face. Riku's heart skips a beat; he's so close to getting Sora back to his real self.

"I think I left it in the _triclinium_…"

"I'll go get it." As Sora whirls around to stalk off, a strong grip encircles his wrist, jerking him back when he tries to move forward anyway. Uncertain as how to respond, the ocean-eyed boy remains still, breath hitching when the heat of another body infiltrates the air hovering over his own back.

"Let me get it; I'm the one who knows where it could be. Just sit down and relax," the silverette says quietly, voice husky against the shell of Sora's ear. A blush paints the brunette's cheek and all he can bear to do is nod, practically a statue even when Riku retreats from the room, on his way to fetch the wooden game board and pieces from the dining room table. Fortunately, by the time the silverette has completed his task, Sora has found enough sense to relocate to the _culina_ (kitchen), where they can play their game and maybe catch the _coquus_ there; they could ask him- or rather, Riku could ask him- to make them something to eat.

Unfortunately, Grumio, the cook, is nowhere to be found. But the duo play anyway once they set up the board on the vacant kitchen counter, sometimes quiet in their strategic thinking, or sometimes cracking jokes and making small talk.

"Oh, Sora, you know when I went into the market to get some bread for _mater_ (mother)?" Riku suddenly asks, fueling a previously dwindled conversation. Looking up from the board, Sora nods, face eager and interested for Riku to continue. "Well, I met this weird guy on the _via_ (street); he was raving about how the world was going to end tomorrow or something. I couldn't stop laughing when I heard him screaming 'All we know is coming to an end! Evacuate the city while you still can!' His face was priceless," the silverette explains, smirking at the memory of it.

Sora laughs a little, responding, "Did he look drunk? Maybe he had one-too-many bottles of alcohol." Dainty hands move a plain piece on the board forward casually, blue eyes trained onto Riku's pale face.

Snorting, the story-teller agrees, "I dunno, maybe. I think he was just stark mad." Sora doesn't reply this time aside from a smirk of assent and small laugh at the silverette's comment, thus their attention returns to the game. After a quiet moment of silent contemplation, silver eyebrows shoot up to the top of the owner's hairline, eyes suddenly alight with epiphany.

Grinning widely, he moves a single piece forward, smacking it down distinctively loud. Afterward he crosses his arm triumphantly and watches intently for Sora's reaction. A single moment of silence is all he has to wait; the brunette's jaw falls slack and the blue eyes flash up to the cocky ones above, silently pleading, 'How did you do that!'

"Veni, vidi, vici," (I came, I saw, I conquered- Julius Caesar) he replies to the shocked cherub face, proud smirk still firmly in place.

"You so cheated!" the brunette remonstrates, movements excited in their accusations.

"I did not," Riku defends, offense clearly written in his face; his arms uncross slightly and he stands a little less straight, his form of pouting.

But Sora isn't phased. "You did! You LIE! There's no way you could've-" The sentence is never finished as Riku suddenly attacks the brunette's sides, effectively knocking the board down and all its pieces to the floor, but neither teenager take much notice; one male is too preoccupied with the other's ribs, fingers frantically keeping its pace across the heaving connected keys, while of course the other is too thrown by his violently tingling skin to notice much of anything else. Sora's laughter spills through the room, its size enough to fill up the whole house with light and completeness- or at least it could in Riku's mind. Before they know it they are on the floor, the silverette hovering over the curled-in 'slave' as he continues his tickling frenzy.

"Who's a liar? Who is?" Riku taunts, exhilarated by the flushed, puckered cheeks below as they hold Sora's lips up into a beautiful smile, laughing enough to force tears out of the corner of his tightly closed eyes.

"I-I take it back, I take it back, Riku! Lemme go, lemme go!" the captive exclaims in between giggles. Finally, the mischievous elder lets Sora rest. Sora slowly uncurls himself and lays on his back toward the ceiling, arm over his forehead as he tries to catch his breath.

"That was uncalled for," Sora comments once he's able to breathe somewhat consistently, blue eyes peering out from under his arm to the firm, warm body next to his. Although the brunette is wearing very light and airy clothing, he can't help but wonder when it got so hot in the room. Blushing,- and hoping Riku doesn't notice or at least thinks that it's from the tickling- he averts his eyes toward the boring slate roof, waiting for a response.

Smirking again, Riku leans down, hovering just above Sora's lips. "That was nothing," the silverette replies suggestively, satisfied when Sora's eyes widen, dilate ever-so-slightly, and then glare toward his, a rare scowl imprinting on his face.

"Master and your mother could be home any minute now," the brunette says, cutting to the chase. To further discourage the elder teenager, he turns his face away, hiding it with his arm.

However, the poor uke's attempts are made in vain; instead of heeding his friend-gone-lover's warning, the silverette displaces those last couple inches of air separating them and kisses Sora's neck lightly. Goosebumps ghost their way across Sora's skin from the contact and an electric shiver travels across his spine. One out of the two is noticed by the silverette and he smirks, savoring the effect he caused. He slowly trails down his neck, almost purposefully letting his warm breath collide sexily with Sora's now-anxious skin. Using this tactic as a distraction, he tries to nudge Sora's arm away from his face, and almost succeeds; once Sora realizes that his closed eyes will practically assent Riku's actions when his arm is no longer hiding them, he recoils ever so slightly, trying to push Riku's chest up and away.

"Riku- we can't- _Riku_," Sora hisses, yanking at an available lock of hair. This finally seems to get through to the elder because he flashes his eyes to Sora, expression not annoyed, but not exactly pleased either.

"But I think you want it. Do you know how I know that?" Riku taunts the brunette, hand brushing against the already semi-erect, cloth-covered cock below him, immediately earning a sharp intake of breath and another hiss. In summary, Sora is unable to respond. Riku smirks.

In explanation, the silverette finishes, "You called me by my first name."

He won that round.

* * *

It was humid and sticky, but they couldn't bring themselves to care in the slightest. Waking up with dried cum on your stomach and in between your thighs isn't exactly the best feeling in the world, but being in the arms of the one you love make up for the uncomfortable feeling on your abdomen. It almost heightens the moment, the proof of what they've done. Or at least, to Riku and Sora it does, but neither of them say anything about it; they are too content with the moment to say a word, trapped in the afterglow and the first stirrings after their post-coitus nap.

By the glow coming from under the curtain hung across the door, they determine it must be morning. The house is still silent; _mater_ and _pater_ (or 'master' as Sora calls him) must've had a late night, or already left for business dealings of some sort. Inwardly, Riku is grateful that his parents have never been too curious as to what he does during the day while they are gone, or check up on him.

Right after his thought and a small sigh of contentment, Sora stirs, tipping up his face to peer at the pale one above. Their eyes meet and they smile, resulting in a small blush from Riku. Sora giggles. "Why are you blushing when you started it?" Sora whispers, blue orbs alight with playfulness.

The silverette smiles unashamedly now, moving his hand to play with some of the disarray spiky locks of the brunette's hair. "I don't know, I just love you so much. Any objections?"

This time, Sora blushes; has the silverette always been so heart-achingly blunt? "No…"

"Good," Riku concludes, bringing the lithe, warm body next to his closer.

That's when they hear the first rumble.

Over the past couple of days, the loud roars and small trembles of the ground have been occurring a lot. The couple doesn't think anything of them by now; surely Mount Vesuvius is just a little uneasy, nothing really to worry about. Only a little lurch of worry settles into Riku's stomach, just because this particular rumble was louder than the others.

"Do you want to get some breakfast?" Sora asks suddenly, accompanied by a small little noise from his stomach. Diverted from his anxious thoughts, he chuckles, replying affectionately, "It sounds like _you_ need it. Come on, let's go."

Languidly rising to their feet, they sigh past the heaviness in their joints. It takes longer than usual, especially for Riku's back and arms, and Sora's hips, but as the teenagers they are, they don't really mind. Instead, Riku suddenly notes, "Is the floor… dusty?"

"I was just noticing that," Sora replies nonchalantly, lifting up one of his feet with a wince, a slight emotion of worry tickling the back of his mind, but otherwise not giving acknowledgment to the thought any further. Riku silently promises to massage his lover later to relieve some of the soreness he's enduring, but then turns his attention back to the floor.

"I think it came from the ceiling." Riku hypothesizes, that tickle of worry rising once again. He smothers any notion of fear, shrugs it off and automatically looks up critically. Sure enough, cracks had at some point developed in the concrete above him, a sight enough to make the older male a little uneasy. He glances at Sora; unusually, the brunette adopts an extremely concerned expression, eyebrows furrowed and bottom lip under the assault of his teeth.

"Non sollicitare, don't worry about it," the silverette assures his companion, unsure of his own words but nonetheless impatient to assuage the brunette, "I bet that happened from all the earthquakes, but the worst has come and gone."

Sora isn't exactly convinced but he nods anyway. The partners take their first couple steps toward the door, almost expecting the room to cave in, but alas make it all the way to the dining room alive, and thus the ceiling is forgotten, along with the rumbles and apocalyptic worries for the rest of the morning.

But, unfortunately, Mother Nature's presents continue to arrive. Riku and Sora end up in the garden to work on Mother's plants, statues, and such. The only problem? As they work, it starts to rain. Usually, this wouldn't be an issue for obvious reasons, as the water would fall onto the plants and into the water fountain in the middle, thus aiding the scenery in its beauty but this time… Black and grey specks fall from the sky slowly like tainted snow. At first, the two barely see it, but as the feathery dust accumulates over everything, a stench akin to death fills the air and the clouds above. The blue sky transits into grey, making everything a little darker and eerie. The brunette and silverette stop trying to brush off the- what is this exactly?- from the statues after awhile, accepting that as long as the warm, papery snow falls, nothing will remain polished for very long.

The unnaturally warm air forces them to sweat, making the death paper stick to their skin uncomfortably.

"Riku, what is this stuff?" the brunette finally asks. He tries to shake it out of his hair to no avail, cursing under his breath when it gets into his eyes after falling off his eyelashes.

The silverette, whose hair is displaying a myriad a grays, whites, and blacks by now, has no answer. He certainly has never seen anything like this before. Each intake of breath gives him a stronger urge to cough, but he gets the premonition that breathing in more air and dispensing the effort to cough would only make it worse. Right as he thinks this, however, Sora begins coughing; murky turquoise eyes flash over to the tan brunette worriedly. As hypothesized, as time goes on the coughs become more and more frequent until Riku finally suggests that they both get away from it all and get a glass of water, kicking himself for not escorting themselves inside sooner.

Because the houses in Pompeii have two gaping open rectangles in the roofs (called compliviums), slowly it matters less and less where Sora and Riku are; everywhere they go, the dust is floating in the warm air and the smell of death infiltrates everything. Against his will, Riku starts coughing himself. Becoming a little frantic, the boys make their way into the street, alarmed by the many people running around throughout the many houses and towns, all coughing their lungs out. Thick clouds of heat squeez past the people, intertwining with the crowds, making everything unbearable.

That's when the earthquakes resume their fury. Before their eyes, the street rumbles and houses begin to collapse in everywhere. If there were a place to escape, Riku would be running, dragging Sora behind him, but where could they go? Where do you run when the whole world is falling apart? Both their hearts stung, frantically numb with blinding fear as they watch everything fall. How did this happen so quickly? A fire starts at an inauspiciously contiguous area. An unknown voice screams off in the mass confusion. Only when the street suddenly splits apart do they find the sense to move, instantly joining hands and backing away frantically from the bursting earth.

"What do we do?" Sora yells frantically, his heart pounding rapidly, eyes wide, panic overtaking his senses. His voice is barely detectable from the other people's. The muscle contracting in Riku's chest reminds him of his utter terror, his subconscious taking note of how his breath hitches in his throat, every whimper echoes throughout his neck, jolting himself back to the reality that continuously slips through his mind like water. Reality is simply a blur, his thoughts going a million miles a minute; he can't remember what his name is, where he is, what is going on, and, what eventually scares him the most, he forgets whose hand he is clutching, whose fingers that are tightly intertwined with his, nails digging into the palm of whose hand that is in his.

Sanity kicking in for a nanosecond to check if he is running into anything, which he is...over puddles, over bulges of ash, over what looks like the remains of a child, separated from its mother that was ruthlessly trampled to death by the mob of people running in all directions to get to an unknown sanctuary. A haven that not one knows exists. They just know they have to get out of the area, away from the horrendous monster spewing noxious gas and burning sulphur into the air, slowly smothering the townsfolk from lack of breathable oxygen. Light is ad infinitum fading; it had been only the mere early hours of dawn when the sun was up and shining, however, it looks to be midnight as the sun is snuffed out to their eyes. Broad sheets of flame are lighting up many parts of the furious volcano, the light from the fire illuminating up past the ash and smoke, creating enormous pseudo-suns to the poor man; it is daylight now elsewhere in the world, but here the darkness is darker and thicker than any night.

"Sora, the harbor!" Riku yells, tears streaking down his cheeks, tainting his skin, his cerulean eyes now a pale red. Sora can see it; he sees the tall masts of ships, slowly fading from view as the dust laden air continues to choke their airways and eyesight. Tormenting their minds, creating the illusion that they are gaining distance from salvation, whereas only God knows they are only running towards the gates of Hell. Sora looks around, only seeing people. Their bodies, their faces, their terror, their tears, they are his, and it is his sight. Every person in town had followed Riku and Sora it seemed. Regardless that there are still hundreds of people in front of them, it looks like they are following the two lovers, only them, leaving him to wonder who is still in their homes, who stayed with their families, who died in the herd on the move to the water, who had already known of this catastrophe and escaped just in time?

As they come to a stop, Riku grabs Sora tighter, pointing to the sea hysterically.

"It's useless. We can't leave! There is no wind to push these sails! It's heading towards the city, and, what's worse? Those sails would never move in a thousand years, have you yet to see the damage the scalding ash had caused to the fabric?" Riku sobs aloud his thoughts, holding Sora to his chest, his body slumping forward, as if giving up. Many people appear the same broken way. They have failed. Came out all this way, away from their homes, their possessions; some of them their family, their pets, their wives or husbands. Had dropped everything to come to a promised salvation that became a mirage in the distance. After a moment of silence, an elderly man rises from the grieving crowd whom have all but accepted their fate of death, disconsolate and somber.

"Residents of Pompeii. Today, we have angered Vesuvius too far. We have made him angry and today is the day we make up for our sins. Our day of sanctity is here! We must pay off this debt to him! Tonight, we walk into out of this world and we enter our extrication!" He raises his arms up as if embracing the air, his head tilted back towards to sky. It is the same man from the other day...the one who predicted all of this to happen. Why, if he had known this would happen, is he still here? Why hadn't he left? Did he want to die? Or was it even more sadistic...did he enjoy watching the people without hope fall to their knees and breathe their last breaths on this Earth? What a sick man. Riku can not stop thinking about what an awful person he is, standing there, telling children that they are going to die for their parents sins, or perhaps maybe their own. But what even a more awful person is HE, standing there with his lover in his arms, thinking only of the man with nothing left to live for, preaching his bullshit out. Why isn't he whispering sweet nothings into Sora's ear? Why isn't he giving final comfort to the man he is going to die with? And he isn't the only person thinking that either, as several people cry out, sobbing and screaming for their partners, their children, their parents. Everyone wants their last moments with someone else, ignoring the mad man's outbursts.

"Blasphemy! You are the Devil's advocate, spewing your lies! Our children are listening to your profanity. Shame on you!" A woman in the crowd shrieks. Sora merely clings tighter to Riku. He knows he is going to die. Why are they standing there listening to the quarrels of folk with nothing left to live for? That woman could not have had children, for if she did, she would not be standing there arguing with a crazy old man whom is already on his deathbed.

"What did we do wrong, Riku? Why are we dying?" Sora cries, his chin buried in the nestled crook of Riku's collarbone. Around them, people have not turned to head back towards their homes, they have not moved away from the wall bordering the ocean. Thick with ash and dust, it is no longer water, it is a toxic sulphur syrup meant to laugh in their faces making hope even more futile. Daylight lessens and lessens; it is difficult to see more then 4 meters ahead of themselves. It ss all ending so suddenly, so fast, surely they would all be dead soon, passed onto the other life, whatever other life there is.

"Sora, it wasn't us, we aren't...paying for any sin! It's a natural cause that will pass and we'll all be fine." Riku is still crying, for the first time in years, hiding his face from Sora. He has to be strong for him, has to protect his younger friend. He hasn't even convinced himself that he would be fine. He knows that the end is inevitably near. A natural cause in all its glory that will surely end up with the devastation of all their lives. Around them, the proof of that is clear, as the air becomes more dense, people are visibly gagging, choking on the thick cloud of dust. Several people collapse around them, manifestly dying from suffocation. Before Sora can turn his head to ask if they are alright, they are already gone. No breath passes between their lips, their lungs no longer scream for oxygen...it is useless to them now. They are all _dying_, and soon they would succumb to the same unfortunate fate and they know it. People dropping like flies at their feet. People who only seconds ago talked to their partners, saying their goodbyes, or confessions, or convincing one another it would all be alright. Now dead, lifeless, passed on. Whatever you please to call it, they are no longer in the living flesh any longer.

"I WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO CLAIM MY SOUL!" Riku and Sora whip their heads around, following the movements of one man, who stands atop the stone wall for all to see, as he waves once to the dying people of Pompeii before leaping into the sea below. The thick mass of syrupy goop of an ocean. Not a single voice protests, no one objects his move and his body slowly sank in the muck. He did not struggle, his face stoic and composed as the former living being is dragged into the burning pit of ash soup. It doesn't even phase the remaining standers, those who yearn for what miniscule life they have left to live, no matter how absolutely horrible and terrifying it may be.

"It's alright Sora." Riku says finally, his breathing labored from both lack of oxygen and stricken panic. He doesn't sound convincing and Sora knows his lover is lying, but he nestles closer to Riku's chest, knowing everything Riku meant to say through his human, flawed heart; even now through the perception of his ash-caked sight, the human heart he had been blessed to hold is perfect to Sora. However, he feels faint. Tired, and without energy. He feels like he is going to pass out, but he knows that if he did, he would never wake up. Not letting Riku know, Riku worries more than Sora anyway, and Sora knows that the older man was trying to make him feel better any way he could.

"Riku, I love you," he whispers, his voice hoarse. That surprises him, his throat doesn't feel as rough as it sounded, but maybe it's the fear that overcame his mind and possessed his voice. But he had to let Riku know.

"Sora..." Riku mutters, his voice thick with tears. He bent down, trembling, his body racking with nervous paroxysms. His lips touching Sora's lightly, featherlike. It isn't more of a kiss then it is a confirmation of their connection that, even when their souls leave their bodies, would never fade.

"I love you." Riku says as confidently as his voice would allow, wrapping his arms around Sora tighter, feeling Sora's hands touching his back, their figures locked together, eyes closed, noses buried in each other's musty hair. People still dropping around them, saying their goodbyes. They know they don't have much longer. Riku coughs harshly, his lungs burning and heart palpitating as he struggles to grab oxygen into his lungs; he knows he is dying. His vision going blurry, watering. Sora is feeling the same way. His legs shook from the effort to stand, and as he finally collapses onto the floor, Riku's body follows suit, together as they wouldn't have it any other way, on the ground, trembling, shaking, muscles spazzing, breathing slowing down whilst still erratically gasping in dirt and grit from the air, but no oxygen enters the body anymore; there just isn't enough. Giving one last final squeeze, Riku's grip loosens like the last rays of a sunset. Sora cries harder; he knows instantly that Riku, his best friend, is dead; his lover no longer lived. He wants to say something, to make some sort of noise, but nothing would come out. He has no breath to speak with; his tongue is heavy and gritty. He looks into the glazed eyes of his friend, vision fading, growing darker, the lifeless forever-aqua/gray eyes of his lover growing dim, black, the world around fading...blurry...graying out...heavily lidded eyes closing...lips fretting letting no breath pass…

* * *

"And here we have two bodies from Pompeii itself. Mummified perfectly in the ash of the volcano Vesuvius. These two, scientists say, were possibly a husband and wife in an embrace. Now, over to this side, we have an actual rock from..." The tour guide's voice drones on, and the entire class follows, but one student stays behind. Staring up at the bodies preserved in molten ash and dirt, clinging to each other for more than just dear life.

"They actually look like...males..." the human anatomy and photography major whispers, whisking out her camera. She quickly stands back to get a picture of the two people, which look more like men then a woman and a man, to save and exploit on the internet. Unable to help herself, she smirks wickedly, swinging her black messenger bag over onto her shoulder, satisfied in her thinking that two men hugging was preserved and on display for all to see. Unbeknownst to her, her teacher stands behind her, watching her, knowing full well what her student is doing. Smiling to herself as well, she looks up at the ash mummy, preserved for nearly 2000 years.

"She's right...they do look like guys."

* * *

**A/N: AHHHH OMGOMGOMGOMG IT. IS. DONE. YES! That took a hell of a long time. Omg. I need to learn how to write DRABBLES damnit… **

**THANK YOU TO THE AMAZING AUTHOR (Ionshu, the life-saver) WHO WROTE HALF OF THIS FOR ME! Check out Ionshu guys :) She's got some Mar/Vex if you would like something new ;) **

**Happy for the updates two day in a row? XD I hope you do! :D Thank you for your constant support and the reviews! :D Comments on this one? (it is rather long, ya know). This whole idea came from my Latin class. Yes, I am taking the dead language… But you gotta admit this is cool. I was always fascinated with Pompeii… Poor Riku and Sora though, I keeled them. Well, technically, because I couldn't write the tragedy part, Ionshu killed them. Kudos to her lol. **

**SHOUT OUT TO MY AMAZING REVIEWERS!: ****AnimeFreak4261, Axel Heartless, Ionshu, Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn, MsSupreme, katy2000, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala, EmoArtistEmy, and Skypiratelove.**

**Updates as soon as possible, my lovelies! **


	54. Disturbing Fetishes  Sora

_~Disturbing Ideas~_

"Come on, Riku, try it at least once!"

"Not with peanut butter, Sora, that's just disgusting."

"No its not, its fucking sexy."

"Did you just say fuck?"

"Yes, yes I did. For the peanut butter."

"…That was kinda hot."

"….what?"

"Say it again."

"Peanut butter?"

"No… fuck."

"No! I'm not saying that! It's a naughty word!"

"Exactly why you need to say it again…."

"I'll do it if you accept my proposal…"

"Which one?"

"…the… you know… with the… peanut butter…."

"… Sora, you are slowing becoming a sex-kitten. A sex kitten with the weirdest fetishes that have ever been invented."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Both."

"Okay… so… what's your answer?"

"…-sigh- To put it bluntly, Sora, if we used peanut butter for that, I would just get stuck."

"Wait, really?"

"No shit…"

"Damnit… …Peanut butter is still sexy."

"I feel replaced."

"You should."

"You're going to pay for that…"

"Bring it on!"

Oh, the absolutely odd, awkward, and disturbing conversations betwixt Sora and Riku.

**A/N: I have absolutely nothing to say about this other than I needed something to make me laugh, and it worked XD**


	55. Bus Mishaps

~Bus Mishaps~

Sora contemplates his many options, and finds that he unfortunately has been purposefully stuck in a not only compromising, but a cornered situation, like a an adorable mouse squeaking before a rather hungry, grey fluffy feline.

Truth be told, Sora must admit that said fluffy grey feline isn't the worst predator he could've gotten trapped with. Although the brunette doesn't know him personally, he knows that receiving attention from Riku of all people should be something honorable. As a Junior in high school (therefore a year Sora's senior) and star player in the soccer team, the divine silver-haired deity is the type of guy you could see studying until ten o'clock at night despite his athletic abilities; but then again, it has been rumored that the popular teen is such a genius he doesn't need to study. Being a grounded person, Sora isn't one to truly believe that. But nonetheless, he would never disagree with anyone who decided to bring the revered silverette up in conversation that claimed impossible things about him, just because Riku is definitely not the guy you would want to provoke.

And really, that's just the basics concerning Riku. As if making straight A's in AP classes, participating in Varsity soccer, and almost being to uppermost classmen weren't enough, the currently 17-year-old teen is absolutely gorgeous. But, everyone knows what he looks like, so why even go into detail? Just his name says enough; it's got a sexy ring to it, and everyone knows it. That must be why all the girls are whispering it amongst themselves, though none of them have been close enough friends with him to say it casually; Riku, although charming, does not date. Or at least, if he does, he is very good at keeping it secret. This just forces all the young teen girls to adore him more, jogging their imaginative minds to sickening heights.

And all these things make up the one currently sitting next to him on the bus ride home, torturing Sora's queer, dorky, and yet bubbly soul to no end. Alas, it's not what you think; it's not that Sora can't look away from the sex-god sitting next to him, or that he can't find the courage to speak to the venerated male when he oh-so-desperately wants to. No, it's that the suddenly infuriating upperclassmen has purposely forced Sora to miss his bus stop.

Maybe Sora should've seen this coming. Sora had been staring out the dirty tinted window, Ipod earplug already in his ear and his phone in hand, prepared for a 'Hey! How are you?' text from Kairi, Namine, Roxas, or even Axel when Riku sat down next to him. The smaller brunette didn't even notice until the bus started rolling and, for once in the silverette's life, Riku did something akin to a normal human being; he dropped his own cell phone.

It wasn't the _thunk _of the cellular device hitting the floor that got Sora's attention, but rather the sound of his seatmate clearing his throat and the awkward, "Erm…"

He turned toward his mystery companion and was momentarily stunned. But luckily for him, he was able to kick it into gear when the low melodious voice continued, "Hey, I dropped my phone… I think it's under you… could you grab it for me?"

After a moment of stuttering, then a quick nod, Sora dived under the seat and actually performed the task without making a more chaos with his generally clumsiness. Their hands brushed when Sora handed back the rectangle of communication, but the blue eyes belonging to the younger were too distracted by the silverette's smile and moving mouth to notice _too_ (cough) much.

"Thanks… Uhm, you're Sora, right?" he said, slight smile quirked on his face politely besides the obvious exhaustion written under his eyes. Although Sora can miss the point and be a little clueless sometimes, he still notices the little things whether they make a difference or not. In this case, it is; the brunette finds himself wondering if anyone else can see how tired the silverette is.

"Uh, yeah, no problem…" Feeling like there should be more conversation besides this, Sora continued, "I haven't seen you ride this bus before; did you move or something?"

Sora waited for answer, hoping that spurring conversation with the upperclassman wouldn't bother him. Despite the silverette's popularity, he isn't known to be too talkative. From word of others, Sora learned that Riku is actually pretty quiet and contemplative, though can talk normally with his closer friends of course. The brunette actually respected him for that; people who keep themselves together deserve credit for some wisdom. But, this time, the silverette didn't seem to mind the proposition for companionship, thus he replied, "Ah, no, actually. I'm going to my relative's house for my nephew's birthday… It's just more convenient to take the bus there, since I don't have a car to drive yet."

So, Riku has a nephew, and doesn't have a car. Sora filed away that information, though he couldn't tell you why. The car part was what shocked him the most; shouldn't Riku be rich, driving a red Lamborghini? Instead of commenting on that though, he steered his conversation down a less offensive road. "Oh, haha, well then I hope your nephew has a good birthday! How old is he turning?"

And it was amiable conversation like this that continued and generally both of the males learned several different random facts about the other. It somehow led to this:

"Oh, uhm, sorry but this next stop is where I get off," Sora suddenly said, breaking off the conversation abruptly. The brunette was glad that he noticed the familiar cross-road, however; another two minutes of unawareness and he would've completely missed his stop oblviously.

Riku got a peculiar look in his turquoise eyes right then, and though Sora noticed it, he didn't know what it would lead to. "Oh, alright," was all the silverette said. You can't figure out much from that.

And so, unfortunately, the conversation ended until the bus lolled to a stop. Sora stood up and waited for Riku to move, inwardly wishing and wondering if the two would ever talk again. But a full second went by… and another. And another.

"Uh, Riku, I need to get out…?"

The silverette looked straight into Sora's blue orbs… and smirked, mischievous intentions prominent in his eyes. Right then and there, the brunette knew he wasn't going to get out of the bus until Riku decided to let him. But that didn't stop him from questioning it, or fighting this turn of events.

Using his backpack, Sora knocked at Riku's legs, glaring at back at the upperclassman's smirk for all he was worth. Of course, the effort was in vain; the legs only swayed ever so slightly away from Sora, but otherwise his feet remained firmly set upon the black, gritty ground. Sora stuttered through some more attempts of escape, even stepping over the blockade (Riku just pulled his knees up slightly, causing Sora to fall back; luckily for him, the brunette caught his balance), but all attempts failed.

Finally, perhaps tired of watching Sora struggle, Riku said, "I need company over at my aunt's. Why don't you go with me to the birthday party?"

All Sora could do is gape exasperatedly at him.

"What? But I don't know them, how could I just invade a family birthday party like tha-"

"No one will care, they're nice people and they love me," the silverette continued casually, shrugging his shoulders. Sora simply didn't know how to respond and was a bit worried that if he opened his mouth, he wouldn't be able to shut up afterward. Something about Riku just made Sora nervous, though in a way that couldn't purposefully be done. While the brunette thought this, already, the bus continued on, the driver oblivious to any conflict going on as the duo bickered in the back of the bus. The loud vehicle lurched past the designated stop and his own house, turning down another familiar street, and the brunette realized that he is indeed, stuck.

Sora sat back down, still wordless. The aqua eyes of the elder never leave his companion's now flushed face, eyebrows erect as he waits for some sort of a reply.

And thus we return to the present; Sora has developed a reply. "Well, you better not abandon me then." Although the sentence could be taken in many ways, the brunette meant that Riku can't leave him standing around in a foreign house with no one to talk to that he knows. The silverette understands immediately, chuckling at the defeated reply.

"Don't worry, we'll end up playing Call of Duty or something like that on Nathan's 'station," Riku explains comfortingly. Recognizing the name 'Nathan' as the name of Riku's nephew, Sora smiles, thinking idly that not many people get to see someone related to Riku of all people. This will surely be something to recount to Kairi and the others.

"Alright then!" A smile and a lighthearted shrug of the shoulders. "Free food and games, sounds like fun to me," Sora consents, cheering up to the whole ordeal.

"And someone to share it with, yay!" the silverette joins, grinning in a stunningly sexy yet silly way. If Sora had been paying attention, he would've felt the way his heart melts at the quirk of Riku's soft, light pink lips. Instead though, he laughs at the way the silverette does a mini-dance with his arms; so Riku isn't a completely callous person. And as anyone watching could see, Riku also has a mischievous streak in him, and maybe a slight discomfort at being alone. Already, Sora is starting to see this upperclassmen as a real person instead of just someone above him to 'admire' and gossip mindlessly about.

_It's definitely a start to something_, Sora thinks as they depart sluggishly (due to their heavy backpacks) from the raucous bus. As they toss sentences back and forth, Sora wonders why Riku chose him of all people to drag into his life. Surely this won't last once Riku realizes more about the brunette, like his lack of immediate intelligence but incessant cheerful nature and justice streak. Will his competitiveness push Riku away, or pull him closer? And what about his nerdy (but amazing) friends? Or his sexuality? Only time will tell. Maybe their next misadventure will tell for sure; maybe it won't be in the far off future either. The one thing Sora _knows_ certainly is this: this bus mishap is just the beginning.

**A/N: I have been working on at least five updates at once, two of which might end up being stories instead of oneshots XD Anywhosa, I think this one is going to have a part two, though what about I have no idea. Anyway, updates soon! I hope this update brightened your day (school should be stressing everyone out a little by now, eh?)!**

**And thank you to my amazing reviewers!: ****AnimeFreak4261, Axel Heartless, Ionshu, "Marly" (you know who you are), ****Lyokofiedphantom**,** Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn, MsSupreme, katy2000, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala, EmoArtistEmy, and Skypiratelove. Also, a person reviewed but didn't have a name, so I thank you too, though I cannot specifically name you XD –cyber hearts-**


	56. You Got Me

_~You Got Me~_

Have you ever been all alone at home, just listening to your music? It's hard to resist the urge to sing, am I right? Sora knows this feeling very well.

Checking the digital clock at the bottom right corner of his laptop, he affirms the time; 4:37. For once, all his homework is done. Everything concerning studying is out of the way, by some miraculous chance. The only problem? There is nothing to entertain his 16-year-old ADD mind within the proximity (that doesn't require hauling his butt up anyway). If only his boyfriend, Riku, were here…

Frowning slightly, he reminds himself that although _he's_ done with his various school burdens, the silverette probably isn't so fortunate. Especially when Riku is in Pre-AP classes. _So, what now? _the brunette ponders from his comfy spot on his bed above the soft blankets as his back leans against his fluffy pillow resting against the headboard of the bed. Unable to come up with anything better to do, Sora taps a couple keys on his computer next to him and only a moment later does his YouTube home screen appear. Scrolling down, none except one 'recommendation' looks promising, so the single interesting video is the one he chooses.

A beat pulses through his speakers accompanied by a familiar guitar strum, resulting in his toes and chin bobbing automatically to the rhythm. When Jesse McCartney launches into the first verse of the song, Sora begins to hum along. "Hmm-hm, hmmm-hm, hm-hum, hmmm-hm. Hmmm-hm-hm, hm-hm-hm-hm," the muffled voice joins the pop-artist. As he has never been able to resist a beat, his shoulders start sway with the music as well.

It only takes until the chorus for Sora to feel some kind of adrenaline pulse through him, urging him up from his sedentary spot despite his earlier laziness. Compulsively, Sora suddenly stops the song, returns the track to the beginning, and lets it replay.

_Girl, there's something about me you oughtta know~_

Sora sings along strongly; there's no one around to hear him, so why not?

_I've never felt the need to lose control~  
Always held back and played it slow, but not this time_

Fake microphone (his unused hairbrush) in one hand, and girly flair in the other (at the 'but not this time' he reached out in front of him and shook his pointer finger at a random band poster upon his wall), Sora rises to his knees, gesturing with the lines appropriately.

_Baby, don't be gentle, I can handle anything~  
Baby, take me on a journey,  
I've been thinking lately  
I could use a little time alone wit'chu~_

By this point, Sora is standing on his creaking mattress, singing and swaying his hips provocatively. No, he'd never do this if anyone were _watching _but because there couldn't possibly be a soul here to see him without his knowing, the brunette doesn't worry about it. He sings out toward his closed window, entertaining the local birds with his strange human body movements that the fluttering creatures don't have the 'pleasure' of seeing often. The confusing display continues relentlessly for the next couple minutes by the strange brown haired creature until the mockingbirds decide there are better things to do with their time and fly away. Needless to say, Sora doesn't notice in the slightest.

But upon the last round of _"You got me… right where you want me", _Sora spins around as if the verse were some sort of climax, pointing dramatically again toward his bedroom door. His legs naturally form a triangle with the bed, causing his tight ripped-up jeans to protest deliciously against his hips. When he opens his scrunched eyes to continue on with the song and the random moves he'd been creating on the fly, however, his eyes greet the counterexample to every _'no one's here to watch, so why not sing aloud?'_ thought he had in the last minute and a half.

Yes, unfortunately for poor uke Sora, Riku stands in the doorway, leaning on the white, wooden doorframe with a look of amusement that gives Sora the compulsion to crawl in his closet and die.

But because the shock is too much to contain in Sora's lean and springy body, the brunette squeaks, jumps back slightly, and hits the wall, resulting in a fall that ends with his butt firmly planting on his rumpled bed sheets.

"R-r-riku! W-what are you doing here?" the wide-eyed teen exclaims, panic and embarrassment turning the tips of his ears red. Out of some sort of irony, the music stopped playing when Sora fell, filling the room with an empty taciturn that seems to heighten the moment even more.

Not able to hold back his wide grin, Riku replies, "Uh, well I was just going to surprise my boyfriend, but I think this time he surprised me."

Sora sputters at his lover's witty reply, feeling the blood rushing to his cheeks as his heart pounds from the previous dancing workout and the stress of the situation. But the brunette never does get the chance to reply as the older male stalks over, swiftly moving the laptop over to the floor in a safe-ish spot and taking its place with a mini-jump. The silverette leans back against the wall casually but keeps his alert aquamarine eyes trained on his companion, secretly relishing the pink tinge on Sora's cheeks.

Deciding to tease him a little more, the silverette continues, "So, you dance?"

Satisfyingly to Riku, Sora groans, covering his cherry-tomato face with his hands before doubling over as if in great pain, effectively hiding himself. "I was booooooored!" is the younger's excuse, earning a snort from the one next to him.

"I can tell. So when I'm not around, you resort to becoming a pop star for your own entertainment? Why don't you dance like that while I'm around?" Albeit the first inquiry was partly another attempt to agonize his lover, the other part was a genuine question; if anyone asked, Riku couldn't deny that Sora's skillful dancing turned him on just a little bit. Even the song itself was a 'little' sexual.

"It was only this once…" Sora mutters, refusing to rise and look at his friend-gone-lover in the face. "And I don't dance around ANYONE because I CAN'T dance."

"You are very much deluded then. You could be a stripper with those hips."

"RIKU!" Sora finally lifts his head to show the exasperation clearly written on his face despite his still-flaming cheeks. But before Sora can rant about how he would never be a stripper, that Riku is a dirty pervert, and that the silverette needs his eyes checked, the mischievous elder dives in while he has the chance, catching Sora's lips with his own to properly silence him.

Maybe out of shock, or perhaps out of habitual acquiescence, the brunette melts into the kiss, lightly gripping Riku's pale arm for support. Although deep, the lip-lock remains innocent and they pull away after a prolonged moment, content clearly written on both their faces.

When Sora regains a coherent train of thought, he asks, "What was that for?"

Riku shrugs, replying, "You were being too cute. Again."

"Again makes it sound like I do this often." Sora crosses his arms, face in a fully formed pout.

Instead of assuaging his lover that he is much too masculine to be cute, Riku smirks and pushes the younger's buttons further, affirming, "You do, like now; you're pouting."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"I thought you were too mature to fight like this."

"You force me to stoop to your level." This statement causes a groan of frustration from Sora and the silverette's grin just widens.

"Can't you let me win anything?" the brunette desperately asks, eyes bright with begging.

Chuckling, Riku finalizes, "Nope. That would go against my moral code."

Resorting to desperate measures, Sora finally just tackles Riku down onto the messy bed with a battle cry, straddling his waist vehemently with his hands pinning his shoulders down. Although the younger is usually benign in demeanor, the silverette has always managed to bring out _all_ sides of Sora; and this one particularly put Riku in a daze. Uncharacteristically smirking above the elder, Sora waits for some sort of response from the silverette. However, nothing above 'woah that was sexy' is going through his mind, thus he remains silent.

Leaning down to rest on Riku's chest, Sora begins to taunt happily, "I won that time." A pure smile blinds Riku with over-loaded emotion and he finally snaps out of his shock, deciding to roll him and his lover onto their sides right after winding his arms around him. Still not saying anything, Riku holds the brunette close, nose planted in the junction between his neck and shoulder affectionately.

"R-riku…?" Sora questions, taken aback by the sudden change of mood.

But the silverette doesn't break his streak of silence, just taking an extra moment to breathe in the scent of his Light; then with a small chuckle, he sings softly, "You got me right where you want me…"

**A/N: Fluff, fluff, fluff. Tell me what you think XD Though I can't say I completely made this up. Obviously, this was based off the song You Got Me Right Where You Want Me by Jesse McCartney, and lightly based off of a comic of Roxas being caught singing it on youtube lol. Buuuut I think this is better :3 Just because I gots the romance bwahaha. Read and review!:D Please? I gots a cookie for you :)**


	57. Hear My Voice

_~Hear My Voice~_

The stars are out, twinkling brightly against the dark sky. Two boys lay side by side in the middle of a great field, just talking. Catching up. Retelling a story. Or at least, one of them is.

The brunette for once is silent and serious as he listens to his companion's story. The tall grass reaching for the sleeping sky around them acts as a veil, but with or without it wouldn't perturb them. Riku is a concise but vivid and confident narrator; Sora can see every single moment from behind his closed eyelids, but he wouldn't want it any other way. He knows nothing is left out or exaggerated, simply because that's just not how Riku is.

But he can't hide the scars. So much pain, so much fighting, and so many mind games; although Sora's had his fair share of it all, the silverette had worse, or at least just as much. The universe did not rely on him, but at least he didn't have a Replica trying to tear him to pieces, or a Shadow of someone who was never supposed to be trying to control him and take his heart within his own mind, torturing his thoughts by day and haunting his dreams by night. Sora had to lock every world and fight many a monster, but that's physical. Sora dealt with missing his friends, but at the same time he was constantly with two loyal companions and was reunited with others as they traveled. Riku… was alone. Or at least, eighty-five percent of the time he was. And he hurt, and missed, and felt the darkness and guilt eat away at him until he was strong enough to face it all, even afterward fighting the lingering presence of someone not like himself. The silverette confesses he didn't know what was going on half the time, but he always figured no one else really knew either.

And no one knows the full extent of Riku's adventures. Everyone was so focused on Sora wherever they went after the conclusion to their Kingdom Hearts' victory, no one really bothered to ask Riku about his random appearances and Riku, being Riku, never opted to explain. Only when Sora asked did the silverette yield his story.

Tonight, under the twinkling stars of other worlds, Sora listens and the silverette talks. His voice is deeper than it was before they left and his steady pace instead of the rushed, exhilarating hyperbolic way he used to talk just isn't the same, but the brunette thinks it's a good thing. If anything, the boy's skin is paler, but it suits him; only when his scars shimmer in the moonlight does Sora worry. The new understanding, the purity, and the honesty shows through distinctly in his aquamarine eyes as his mouth and voice form the sounds of his years away from home.

And Sora hears his voice, the melody easily painting the picture of Riku as it knits the blood red strings of his heart tightly together. Every word is a weight released. Every mystery explained cures the loneliness and the misunderstandings. After being silent so long, wanting to be heard is the greatest gift of all. And Sora hears him, and wants to always hear him; have his 'light' heart resonate forever with his 'dark' heart. Being joined that way with another quiets the silverette's neediest of pleas, one that is never said aloud but is always thought in the roots of his denied emotions; _hear my voice_. The request is almost a scream akin to the burning of fire; similarly brilliant and hot. But within the flames does a waterfall descend while Sora absorbs the darkness and pain vicariously, extinguishing the destruction and agony; all he needed was to be heard. And thus, the last battle is complete.

A small tan hand intertwines with the fingers of another. Calloused, larger, and paler though it may be, the connection fits perfectly as the words slowly run out from the elder along with the unnoticed tears mutely running down the silverette's temples, both like the last grains of sand from an hourglass.

Time stops. Finally, there are no more differences between them; both their hearts are light and calm with the pain exhausted and the suffering long forgotten, disappearing with the night's cool zephyr. Their hands never separate until dawn when Life calls upon them to rise and exist again, forcing pleasant dreams to whittle away. Although Life continues to change, from then on, they never do; all is well.

**A/N: Tell me if this doesn't make sense XD Some parts are bound to be a little confusing, but I was having a deep and thoughtful moment, so …'a penny for your thoughts' :)**

**Btw… CHAPTER 60, FTW! (heh, had to celebrate, at least a little bit, eh? :D)**


	58. Lost Pt1

_~Lost~_

Sora is just a little lost. To the left of him are people, and to the right of him are more people, rushing about their business, completely unaware of the cherub brunette weaving in, out, and around their knees. The spiky hair adorning the child's head bobs as his nose betrays him, sniffling in distress. Just a moment ago, he had been holding Mommy's hand, but the mother and son had been separated after the child let go of his mother's pinky; he had wanted a gum ball from a nearby dispenser. A quarter jingled in his pocket, and of course, he rushed over to spend it. He had laughed as the red ball circled around the long cylinder holding up the big glass globe full of other multi-colored chewy candy, clapping his hands as he knew his cherished gum would end up at the bottom as if waiting for him to lift the little metal flap. It reminded him of his puppy door at home, and he smiled just a little wider.

But his smiled disappeared when he turned around, despite the fresh gum accumulating saliva in his mouth. Why? His mother wasn't behind him! The candy was sweet in his mouth, but the taste couldn't comfort him in his sudden loneliness. Instinctively, he called out, "Momma?" but no one rushed to his side. She remained out of sight no matter how many times he called for her. No one that walked by the poor abandoned child stopped to help like in his favorite show, Sesame Street; he quickly realized he was alone and high-tailed it out of there, hoping that maybe he would be able to find her by himself.

But so far, he has just managed to lose any trace of where he is. All he knows is that mother drove him to a large building, full of different shops of different colors and lights. He doesn't know what her purpose was to come here. Perhaps she came to get a birthday present for his cousin… Or maybe she just wanted a new book. He really doesn't know, though the last shop he went by had a large cardboard cutout of superman. Knowing his mother and her many unnamable gadgets, she could be anywhere. However… A light bulb soon flickers on over his head. He figures maybe, just maybe, if he cries, she'll come running like she usually does. At school and at home, it's embarrassing, but the little Sora figures desperate times call for desperate measures.

So he lets salty tears make little rivulets down his chubby, pink cheeks. Through his newly blurry vision he looks for a lime green blouse, the one his mom was wearing, only to see a flurry of every other color, causing the distress mounting within him to rise. Maybe letting himself cry wasn't such a good idea because bow he can't stop! He falls to his knees, hands over his face, and somehow ends up in a corner, away from the trampling feet of the crowd. He removes his grimy hands from his face and wraps his arms around his knees. He doesn't really know what else to do.

"Why are you crying?" a voice suddenly asks from over head. Surprised, the brunette whips his teary face up to meet the owner of this new voice, wishing despite the alien voice that his mother has found him. Alas, it's a stranger. With unnatural shoulder-length silver hair and cool, turquoise eyes, this young …. Is it a girl or a boy?

Panicked by the overbearing shadow upon him, Sora wipes the tears off his cheeks and stands hastily, using the wall behind him for support. "I…" sniffle, "I lost my mom," the brunette honestly replies. Despite his rise, he still has to look up to meet the turquoise eyes of his companion. Although the surrounding face is pale and softly shaped, there's something about the kid that definitely does not scream 'girl'.

"Oh… want me to help you find her?" the silverette says, facial expression blank, but general concern unexpectedly transparent in his eyes. Perhaps other children might find this young man intimidating, but Sora realizes he doesn't see this stranger that way at all. If he, of all the people that walked by, had offered help, surely he must be one of the best people on this planet. The brunette would never forget it.

"Really?" A nod. Relief flooding Sora's small form. "Alright!" Sora's new companion's soft, pale lips quirk into a smile.

"I guess I don't know exactly where your mom is, but we can still look together," he continues. Sora nods enthusiastically; it doesn't matter how much this new kid knows, it's the friendship that matters.

"I'm Sora," the cherub brunette says suddenly, holding out his small hand.

"Riku," the silverette replies, taking the hand gingerly and shaking. When the touch ends, Riku points over his shoulder, gesturing to set off on their search. Grinning toothily, Sora nods again enthusiastically, following the taller young boy with a slight skip in his step as the silverette walks casually away from the corner, obliging to the brunette's immediate attempt at conversation.

Three shops away in the opposite direction the two children began walking, a young, brunette woman calls out, "Sora, where are you?"

A/N: There's more to come on this one :) It was originally a request to have some chibi-Sora, Riku and some others (aren't I just mysterious? :D) and I decided to run with it. Tell me if these chapters are still up to par, I feel rusty in mah skillz.

So, I've reached 200 reviews… HOLY SHIZNAT, SAY WHAT? Thank you so much, guys! :D when I figured that out I asked out loud to no one in particular, 'REALLY?' like Sora and happy danced enthusiastically. I might have also laughed hysterically like Vexen would if he found the cure for aids…

So, it is thanks to these wonderful people that I scared my neighbors with my loud music and energetic, slightly insane body movements: **AnimeFreak4261, Axel Heartless, xxAluraxx, Ionshu, "Marly" (you know who you are),****Lyokofiedphantom**,**Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn, MsSupreme, katy2000, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala, EmoArtistEmy, and Skypiratelove. Thanks for sticking with me!**

**Updates soon!**


	59. Lost Pt2

_~Lost Pt.2~_

Only two shops away, about ten minutes later, resides another small boy. He, however, is much more intelligent than the other boys his age; he wouldn't be so ridiculous as to get lost in the Destiny Islands Shopping Mall… After all, the area of the building isn't that impressive. He only goes for one store anyway, or rather, arcade. He loves Pacman, Dance Dance Revolution, Mario Brothers, Kingdom Hearts, the Final Fantasies, and when he can get the manager to let him play, the Call of Duty, Halo, and Left 4 Dead shoot-em-up games. As his mother is single and constantly working, the blonde woman cannot stop him from walking from his apartment complex to the megalopolis of business after completing his daily amount of hours required in school and homework resulting from the time spent there. It's only across the street after all.

He's on his last game for the day. He isn't rich- he gets a fair allowance for assisting his mom with cleaning the apartment- thus he had to conjure some kind of budget. Sure, his teacher had to help him a bunch because he just simply couldn't understand how one dollar could be split into four to make a quarter (seriously, how did we get from numbers to coins?) but he was still able to create a set plan. Four games, two hours a day. And by the end of the week, he still has a dollar to put into savings. His piggy bank is fed regularly.

But the young boy isn't thinking about the mint green glass pig now; he's much too busy slashing the black ants attacking his character on the screen. The blonde's eyebrows are possibly permanently furrowed, creating a set of hills in the skin between them, and his small little pink tongue peeks out between two rosy cherub lips vicariously to prevent the child from gritting his teeth. Most definitely, the child is in game mode. Roxas's deep blue eyes remain enraptured by the huge, bright screen as his fingers hit the small plastic buttons on his abused controller. L1+A, potion, more life (HP), x, x, x, x, fight, fight, fight. The black ants dissipate one by one and his hands relax ever so slightly; even his body unconsciously knows to remain alert, for more Heartless await him in the hallway to District 3 on his way to visit Merlin. The handsome teen on the screen sprints ahead as Roxas' thumb urges the joystick forward. Suddenly, the peaceful music changes into a more upbeat, darker themed song. As expected, Heartless appear and the Kingdom keyblade appears into the character's hand. X, x, x, x, x, down, down, x, fire, a whirl of black, and the number of black creatures decrease. He locks onto another enemy. X, x, x, and then-

Something tugs his shirt. "Uhm, excuse me…?"

Immediately annoyed, the blonde pauses the game violently. "What do you want?" His blue eyes avert instantly to the disturbance; a brunette boy about his age stares innocently upon him. A taller, silver-haired young boy with detached, cold eyes watches him as well. Perhaps the blonde's tone would've been less bratty had he known the umbrage(s) were actually potential friends, but he only has ten minutes left with his game. He doesn't want to be interrupted, no matter what.

"W-well… uhm… do you know which way the police are?" the brunette one stutters, tone and aura completely childish albeit his similar age. This kid, Roxas thinks, seriously needs a good two-hour killing spree session with some gruesome, hungry Zombies.

"Why would you be looking for them?" the blonde asks bewilderedly; Riku recognizes it as belittlement.

"He lost his mom. We need to get to them so they can help us look," the silverette replies plainly, eyes clearly sizing up the diminutive blonde child as if to say, _'You aren't better, so don't think you are.' _If it weren't for the bad introduction and timing, perhaps the two could actually get along, but Roxas waves past that opportunity without grief; this new kid is a challenge. And an over-all asshole.

Filled with bravado from his inward forbidden insult, the blonde retorts, "Well, you're going the wrong way. It's a couple shops away from the Wetzel's Pretzels. How could you get lost in here? The place is tiny."

The pale, tall one rolls his eyes, but the brunette only appears sheepish. "I'm sorry, I don't come here often… thanks for the directions though!" The boy smiles, flashing a set of white, straight teeth. It's so genuine, the blonde's heart is forced to change its disposition. He decides… eh, maybe they aren't so bad. The silverette seems a bit edgy, but in the boy's defense, the blonde didn't start out very cooperative.

Just then, another child creeps up behind the pair. Roxas' blue eyes widen. "I didn't know it was social hour," the new kid says lively, yet mischievous in tone. 'Dynamic' is the first word the blonde thinks of to describe him. Tall, extremely thin, and vibrant from his flaming red hair to his sparkling green eyes, you could spot this young boy out of a crowd in a blackout during a midnight storm.

"Oh!" Sora exclaims, surprised. He turns his torso slightly to look up at the new comrade, continuing, "Oh, no, I was just asking for directions."

"Where to, shortie?" the red-head asks, flicking a stray lock of hair from his shoulder casually. A cat-like grin remains on his face to compliment his sparkling eyes; he radiates school-boy humor, heavy sarcasm, and rebellion. The blonde is intoxicated by it; he's everything he's dreamed of being. Eccentric, even while young and inexperienced; though by his stature, he could fool you. The green eyes flicker over to Roxas's blue orbs and pause.

"You lost too, blondie?"

His throat feels strangely chocked, but he manages to protest coolly. "Nah, I'm their navigator. Why so many questions?"

"Just grasping the situation," the red-head replies with a wink, not even slightly deterred by Roxas' attempt of provocation. So the red-head cat knows how to play. A sense of respect forms; a rare occurrence in the young 'blondie'. Despite himself, his usually blank cheeks flush pink. So faintly, his ears catch a whisper of a chuckle, too high to be manly but still… enough to cause a shiver down his spine. There's definitely something about this guy he won't forget.

"Thank you," the silver-haired kid suddenly starts, reminding the blonde of his existence, "for the directions." Subtly, but not subtly enough, the young child nudges the brunette, trying to communicate that this is their time to depart. Somehow, the cherub one comprehends the attempted telepathy and sends his friend a sympathetic smile.

"Yeah, thanks guys!" Another dazzling smile and the complimenting duo are backing away; Roxas isn't too deterred by their exodus.

But apparently the red-head is. He stops the brunette, thus stopping the silverette, objecting tauntingly, "Aww, where you going? Let me and blondie come with you guys, to make sure you don't get lost again!"

Usually, Roxas would've backed out right then and there; he doesn't know any of these people. Why would he leave his game (that he just remembered remained paused and unsaved; dangit) to help them? Why did the red-head volunteer him? However, he really can't bring himself to explicate his point of view; he's simply too curious of the almighty tallest.

Although it's obvious the silverette would rather just leave without their assistance, the brunette replies hopefully, "Really?"

Laughing, the red-head concurs, "Of course! Come on, shortie, let's get you to… Wait, where do you need to go? You forgot to mention that bit."

"The police station," the brunette giggles. The red-head nods without any further questions. But he pauses then, pivoting slightly to glance over his shoulder. "You're the navigator, blondie; you comin'?"

Surprised and unfortunately flustered, the blonde blushes, muttering indignantly, "Yeah, yeah… gees, you guys are all useless…"

A hand pats him companionably on his shoulder. "You know it! Hey, what's your name, anyway?"

"…Roxas," he finally says, blue orbs half-glaring-half-observing the long, bony fingers resting on his shoulder.

"Nice to meet you, Roxas! I'm Axel; got it memorized?" The blonde looks up to Axel's face; that catty, Cheshire grin is back in place. Scowling, he decides to remain silent. In result, Axel continues, "What about you, shortie, gotta name?"

"I'm Sora!" the cherub brunette says cheerily, "and this is Riku. Thanks so much for helping!"

"No problem-o; I'm just tagging along here," the red-head replies enthused, nodding to the two of them in turn. Riku chooses to follow Roxas; he only nods back in acknowledgement.

Suddenly, the weight on the blonde's shoulder is lifted and Axel outstretches his arm, gesturing for him to go ahead. Taking the hint and the leading role, Roxas steps to the front of the group, informing them, "It's this way. Just follow me."

"Let's get lost together!" Axel calls, snickering as if simply tickled pink at the idea.

Then suddenly, Roxas smiles.

**A/N: aaaand there's part two! I think there'll be one more part to this, and then it'll be done and I'll have to hurry up and complete my other oneshots XD. What did you think about this one? :D It was a different P.O.V. so the writing is a little different than last time… a little bit more observant and detailed, as Roxas knows more of what he's doing than little Sora does. Haha, good thing he has Riku to take care of him, otherwise the poor kid would be lost in all ways possible –le sigh-. **

**Anyway, I'm totally rambling. Comments? Questions? Thank you for all the reviews and readings so far! :D Updates soon! ^_^**


	60. Only One

~Only One~

"What do you want from me?" Riku exclaimed, eyes flashing with a fiery anger only one person could ever bring out of the silverette.

Sora has completely lost control. He had been gone for a week, and came home to find no one. Riku hadn't been there, like _he said he would, _and when the silverette finally waltzed through the door, he was shirtless, tousled, buzzed, and smelled undeniably of sex. Since then, they had been yelling at each other for what felt like forever until Sora finally just pushed his lover away.

"What do I want from you? What do I-… I can't believe you! You say it like I ask so much! _You _told me you would be here when I got home. I didn't even ask for it. I'm _so sorry _ that I'm obviously not enough to satisfy you, or whatever this is, and excuse me that I thought I meant something to you!"

Sora couldn't care less if anything he just said made sense or not; it was pretty obvious Riku was out of line, not him. Twirling around, he stormed away from the bastard behind him to his room, slamming the door behind him. All the way back towards the kitchen of their flat, Riku can hear it firmly lock.

Unable to swallow his pride, Riku sighed gruffly, pulling his hair back through his fingers exasperatedly. He decided it was best not to try and deal with it right now; nothing could get through to Sora. Finally, he crashed on the couch, hoping Sora wouldn't severely hurt him in the morning, or even worse, be gone.

* * *

After maybe two hours of slumber- just sleeping off the alcohol- Riku woke up. However, nothing he did after that would make drift off again. What Sora said kept echoing in his head. Thinking back, the silverette has no idea what he was thinking; Sora was right to be angry. He shouldn't be surprised if Sora packs and leaves tomorrow. What had he done?

Sora didn't get a wink of sleep that night either. He lay there, staring at the ceiling. All he could do is beg his subconscious to take over, just for an hour. All he wanted was the get rid of the pain. He loved Riku more than he had ever loved anyone before. Even now, if Riku were about to die, Sora would gladly give up his life for his lover. They used to be best friends; what happened to that? What happened to the trust and understanding? Sora actually thought everything was fine, even when Riku didn't call once over the week he was gone. Sora didn't worry even when he never returned his calls. That's how tight they were… What made Riku totally throw everything away? Was it better sex? Was it something he did?

But no matter what Sora remembered, he had done nothing to deserve this, and he knew it. He knew, depending on Riku's form of apology, that he would have to leave tomorrow. Any self-respecting person would.

* * *

"S-sora… I'm so-"

"Save it. I'm done," Sora hissed harshly, shrugging Riku's hand off his shoulder. The silverette recoiled as if burned, but Sora pretended not to notice. He whipped out his phone to call Roxas; he needed a place to stay, after all. The brunette didn't know if this was really the end of his and Riku's relationship, but he was far too angry to make that decision. Thus, his incentive to leave.

But a familiar large hand clasped over his own and snatched his phone away. "Sora," Riku said desperately, "I'm sorry. I'll tell you a million times if you need me to. I don't know what I was thinking; it was stupid. I was a total asshole. But I need you. Without you, I'm nothing…" His voice broke slightly. Sora looked on in shock; he had never heard his lover talk like this. "Please, let me make it up to you. What do you want me to do to make it okay? Anything, and I'll do it."

For several moments, Sora just stood there, contemplating. But after a bit, Sora shuffled forward to face the silverette. Looking into his lover's anguished turquoise eyes, he replied, "I want you to make me feel like I'm the only one in the world, like I'm the only one that you'll ever love, like I'm the only one who knows your heart. Make me feel like I'm the only one who understands, the only one you can trust, and the only one who could ever satisfy you. Do that, and I'll stay."

It didn't take more than a single second for Riku to grasp what his lover meant. Overcome with relief, love, and guilt, he gathered Sora into a hug, resting his forehead on the brunette's shoulder as a sign of weakness. From that moment on, he promised himself to not only fulfill his promise, but to go beyond that in every way he could. He never wanted to get even slightly close to losing Sora, the only one that ever truly loved him, again.

* * *

**A/N: It's been two months… And all I can say is that I am so, so soooooo sorry. I hit the worst writing slump **_**ever; **_**I have no idea how I managed to do even this honestly. For those of you who have read this and still plan to read my updates as they slowly appear, thank you SO SO SO much.**

**My **_**wonderful**_** reviewers (216, baby ;D): ****AnimeFreak4261, Axel Heartless, xxAluraxx, Ionshu, "Marly" (you know who you are),Lyokofiedphantom**,**Amerz, Digimagic, Chasyn, MsSupreme, katy2000, prince2345, Reihu, Maxx, RuikinIsBomb, Kriegsmachine, Cheshire Kitty XD, nobody, XxLittlexDevilx, phantombullets240, Tori Sohma, so x ma is awesome, Shayala, EmoArtistEmy, and Skypiratelove**


	61. Cliche

~Cliché~

"Riku… what are you doing out here? It's freezing…"

The lighting was dim, but in a blue way, making everything around seem gothic and melancholy, contrasting greatly with the current season. Riku was leaning on the entrance to a small gazebo constructed by dark, artistically carved metal. All around was snow, and even more continued to pour out of the white, foggy sky, kissing Sora's nose to give love for the holiday season. He watched his friend gaze off in the distance, wondering how cold he must be.

"Deciding something," the silverette replied belatedly. His eyes slowly averted to collide with Sora's, unintentionally making the brunette's heart beat faster from the intensity of the stare. The turquoise orbs were brighter than Sora had ever seen, with flecks of brighter blues (reminding Sora of Destiny Island's ocean water at high noon on a cloudless day) all swirled around the small, black dot in the middle. It was stunning, but the light-bearer had to look away before his own expressive eyes gave his hidden feelings away.

"And what would that be?" Sora shuffled forward further, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets as a frozen breeze dances upon his few patches of exposed skin. Despite the attempt to keep himself somewhat warm, he shivered against the cold.

"Come here." The silverette's tone wasn't demanding or playful; just a simple request, like how one would summon their friend to look at something they like in a store. And Sora complied without question, standing at the very entrance of the lonely gazebo next to his friend. Looking up into the pale, structured face, Sora's hands urged him to brush the tips of his fingers across his jaw. Just once. That's all he'd need, and he could be happy for the rest of the Christmas season.

"What is it?" Sora finally asked, his breath coming out in a white, whispery puff. Suddenly, Riku smiled- somewhere between a real smile and a smirk- and pointed towards the ceiling. "Look up."

He only hesitated a moment to send Riku a curious look before tilting his head up like requested. Easily seen above was a plant, green despite the cold, bearing red and white berries. When it registered to Sora what exactly was hanging above him and his best friend, he froze in place; had Riku hung the mistletoe on purpose?

Just when the brunette was going to voice his confusion, a shadow crossed over his face. His heart stopped for the barest of moments, his cheeks warming from a small gust of warm breath. Then suddenly something even warmer was touching his lips. The warmth spread through his whole body, as if a space heater was injected into his stomach all at once, causing the butterflies within to rise and flutter maniacally. He could feel his skin breaking out in a cold sweat from under his long, heavy winter coat. The lips atop his own were tantalizingly soft, and he knew that he could never fight against the feeling of melting within his madly beating heart, but he received no chance to kiss back; Riku pulled away.

"I didn't know what I wanted for Christmas… but then I realized I didn't want some_thing. _I want some_one,_" the silverette whispered. His strong, pale hand dropped from Sora's jaw and clenched at his side. Riku's eyes were shaded from his downward gaze, but just the fact Riku was whispering said enough.

Sora thought many things at that moment, several of which consisted of shock, but then a flood gate of emotions broke loose. All that had been bottled uncorked like an explosion in a winery. Before Riku could walk away, Sora knew he had to act fast. But he was unable to say anything; all the words were stuck on his tongue. So he did the next best thing; reaching up, he wound his fingers through Riku's long silver hair, and met his lips again. Instantly, the brunette was brought closer, cushioned only by the pair's jackets. If his heart had been pounding before, now surely Riku could hear it. His whole body was overreacting, but yet within his soul, he felt like the ocean within him had stilled, like something had fallen into place.

When they pulled away, slower this time, they both stared at each other. After a moment, however, Sora was able to stutter, "M-merry Christmas." He hoped the emotion in his voice would explain what he couldn't say aloud.

His newfound lover smiled; he understood. "You too, Sora…. You think everyone inside misses us?"

"Maybe. They sent me out to find you so we could help them bake… though I'm sure by now they've given up on us."

"Well in that case…" Riku dipped his face down again, just for a quick peck on the lips. "Just wanted one more." A smile on both faces. "Okay, now we can go inside."

"You're so cliché, it's sickening," Sora suddenly began to tease. They walked the short distance towards the warm, crowded house, where all their friends were celebrating.

"Yet you wouldn't love me any other way," the silverette retorted cockily. To this, Sora only laughed and shrugged, turning the knob into the house.


	62. Whipped Cream

~Whipped Cream~

"Riku, I swear to god, if you don't stop eating all my chocolate, I will personally hang you on this tree."

Riku freezes, realizing that he had in fact been caught. He had just wanted a couple Hershey's kisses before they disappeared tomorrow…. But he should've known better. Sora has been stressed out all week, decorating for the notorious holiday known as Christmas. Ever since he met Santa, Sora had made sure to go all out, to get all the scrooges in his life into the spirit (or at least, that's his excuse). Wary of Sora-zilla, Riku just went along with it in the past. But now that Riku is actually _living _with the OCD freak (as of ten months ago) he's been watching Sora agonize over the tree, the mantle, the food, the wrapping, the Christmas party timing, the cleaning, and- well, there is really no end to this list.

With these things in mind, Riku decides now would definitely not be a time to test Sora's boundaries farther. So, the silverette stands, walking over to where Sora is crouching, stringing white blinking lights onto a fake green Christmas tree. Earlier, Riku had asked if he could help, but Sora insisted that he wouldn't be able to place the ornaments 'correctly'. Sensing his lover's OCD-trauma, he immediately let it go. So far this morning, Riku has cleaned the house (to his own surprise) and decorated the yard, having found an outline his lover had drawn for him to follow. But that was an hour ago; the poor man was bored.

"Sora, please give me something to do. I hate seeing you so anxious and stressed, especially when I feel like I'm not doing something to fix it," the silverette finally confesses, trailing his hand through his hair roughly.

Sora sighs; he knows how overbearing he's being, but he really can't help it. Pausing to contemplate, the brunette replies hesitantly, "…Do you think you could start cooking? I have all the recipes in alphabetical order on the counter. You don't have to do any of the complicated stuff… I would suggest the rice krispy treats and deserts, since those will last until tomorrow for the party."

Looking at his watch, Riku complies, "Sure, I'll get right on it." As he retreats to the spotless kitchen, he smiles as Sora thanks him for the help.

* * *

Two hours later, everything that could be made so far in advance for their get together is done. Riku had not burned the cookies, cakes, or the rice krispy treats. Although their refrigerator is now full to the brim, the man was most definitely satisfied of himself. He even had leftover supplies; a can of whipped cream. Smirking, he tosses the cold can from hand to hand, mischievous intentions written clearly on his face.

He walks back into the living room. The tree is completely enveloped in ornaments, tinsel, and lights. But, because of his lover's fashionable flair, it looks well thought-over and orderly. The silverette also notices the mantle, which is decorated with everyone's stockings (in alphabetical order). The couches are perfectly pruned of Riku's shed silver hair, the tiles are mopped, the dust webs have vanished, and the room smells clean and flowery; it seems that Sora has finally finished his grandmaster piece. The whole house is silent. …Where did he go?

After a couple minutes searching- and whip cream can shaking- Riku finds his OCD brunette in the bathroom at last. Peeking in, he finds that the stressed male is just about to strip of his shirt, presumably to wash off. But the silverette couldn't have that, especially with his plans to get…. Well… dirty.

So, he intrudes upon the room (after hiding the whipped cream behind his back), startling Sora to the point of twirling around like a fairy and clinging to his shirt over his chest protectively, as if he had something to hide. When his wild blue eyes catch sight of the trespasser, however, he relaxes slightly. With a curious look, he asks, "What is it, Riku?" His shirt drops to the ground; the silverette's eyes follow it. One down… the rest to go.

"Oh… nothing." Sora looks skeptical… for good reason. "I was just thinking… you've been pretty stressed out lately." Riku takes a step forward; Sora takes an instinctive step back.

"Yeah…" Sora replies hesitantly; he's known his best friend for _years _and can just sense the tragedy in the air.

"I think… you need to have some…. FUN!" And suddenly a spray of white covers his face. The victimized brunette raises his arms to try and defend himself, but it's far too late. It's sticky. It's sugary. And it's _everywhere._

Oh, it's definitely on now.

Without another word, the wild blue-eyed teen lunges toward his lover and crashes fully into him, ramming him to the ground. Laughing out loud from the look on Sora's face despite the brutal assault, Riku tries to kick his attacker, but finds that Sora is too busy rolling them over. Soon enough, they are wrestling all over the bathroom, hitting the sink, tub, and toilet as they cause a ruckus. Yet somehow, Sora gets a hold of the whipped cream can and straddles the older male.

"I'M SO GOING KICK YOUR ASS!"

And so Riku's face (and hair) is soon smothered in the fluffy, wet treat. But for some reason, all the silverette can do is snicker. Caught off guard by this reaction, the brunette pauses, panting heavily from the effort of overpowering Riku. Arm over eyes, the silverette is having an absolute laughing fit.

"What the _hell _is so funny?"

"Your….face…" the maniac sputters, chest heaving. The first thing Sora wants to do is retort angrily; what's wrong with _his_ face? Isn't Riku's face worse? What the hell? But as he watches his friend cackle his ass off, he realizes the silverette didn't mean anything by it at all. Although labored, Sora's breathing slightly calms. The situation absorbs and he suddenly realizes- he got into a fight with his lover over whipped cream. No wonder he's laughing so much.

Starting to giggle, Sora replies, "Oh yeah, and yours is _so_ much better."

Tickled pink with this response, the silverette chortles louder. And as Sora continues to ponder this turn of events in amusement, he soon finds himself laughing along just as loud, having no idea what's so funny except that it just _is. _The merriment continues for several minutes until Riku seems to find some self control, at which time Sora finds it within himself to subside too, though the smile- the first true, stress-free smile Riku had seen in a couple weeks- permanently remains on his face.

"I guess we have more to clean up," Riku comments out of the blue, eyes lit up like the tree just outside the room.

Eyes scouring the area, Sora nods, face slightly fallen. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

Riku's eyebrows suggestively hit his hairline. Suddenly grabbing Sora's arm and pulling him down, he responds, "Sora, I didn't mean the room."

"Oh." Sora's cheeks could not possibly turn any pinker, or more adorable. Their faces are only an inch apart. The tension is so think Sora can barely stand it, but in the end he doesn't have to last.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Sora."

"Merry Christmas Eve to you too, Ri-" and finally, the silverette joins their lips in an bright, firework kiss.

* * *

A/N: MERRY. CHRISTMAS. 2010! :D –heart- -heart- -heart-


	63. Promise

~Promise~

"Do you r-remember…?" His blue, shy eyes flicker back and forth from meeting the shining turquoise orbs or avoiding them; hesitant, vulnerable. They're so close, and barely clothed. If it were normal circumstances, there would be no turning back.

"Of course. It still means the same thing." His voice is so sure, Sora hardly knows how to respond.

"Are you sure? You realize that I'm in this for forever?" Desperation; does Riku know how much he means to the brunette? How this first time would be permanently giving a part of himself away?

"As am I. But Sora… I'm willing to wait, for however long you want to wait." Relief; Sora's in control of this, at least.

"I… I want you… I'm just… never sure…" Honesty.

"Don't worry about it, babe. I'll still love you no matter what." Honesty.

"Promise?"

"Promise."


	64. Dandelions

~Dandelions~

"Sora, what are you looking at?"

"At the wish-y flowers!" the childish light-bearer replied, "Come on, Riku, we have to go make wishes on them before the wind takes them away!" Riku's companion, the lively brunette, was practically jumping in place like a small child trying to see through a candy shop's window. But there was nothing exciting around them to explain the sudden commotion; they were walking adjacent to a simple field, or more appropriately described, an empty grassy plot. Nothing was there except a few wildflowers.

"What? You mean the dandelions?" The silver-haired teen looked skeptically between the swaying plants and his best friend, seriously wondering whether Sora actually believed that telling a weed your desires would make the magical whims come true.

"No…. they're wish-y flowers," Sora replied sternly. He quickly pranced over to one of the stemming blossoms and bent down, picking it straight from the ground. For a couple moments, his blue eyes looked contemplative and serious; coming up with the perfect wish to indulge silently to the little seeds he would dispatch to the wind.

And suddenly, Sora's cherub cheeks filled with air -making him look like some kind of adorable stuffed animal- and blew all the white branches from its stem. They filled the air, and then disappeared with the spring breeze to fulfill its reproducing purpose.

The silverette was appropriately lost for words; Sora is now fifteen, and he is sixteen-almost-seventeen… Did his best friend seriously just make a serious wish on a plant? More importantly, what in the world did Sora wish for anyway?

Walking up to the content brunette, Riku asked just that. "So… what did you wish for?"

Looking astounded and offended, Sora responded, "I can't tell you that! Then it won't come true!"

_Out of all the ridiculous… _"That's stupid, Sora—a plant can't just magically produce whatever you want. Just tell me."

An innocent pout formed on the younger's plump lips; Riku inwardly melted. Just as he was about to guiltily apologize for making Sora contort that kind of sad face, the brunette said, "Well… I just wanted a kiss from you…"

Like many times before, the silverette's heart skipped a beat. How could anyone resist a request from this adorable person? Not even on a coherent train of thought, Riku dipped closer to the pouting lips and sealed his to Sora's, wiping that expression immediately off of his face. To say that the silverette's pulse was racing would be an understatement. To say that Sora began glowing would be one as well. Acting on pure instinct, the brunette stood up straight and kissed vehemently back, pouring in all his hope and emotion into one action.

When they pulled apart, both their eyes were glazed with denial ('_Surely that didn't just happen…'_) but yet small smiles were unconsciously painted on their faces.

And then suddenly, Sora exclaimed, "I told you wish-y flowers work." This time… Riku didn't question or argue his point.


	65. Take A Step Back

~Take a Step Back~

He is so close. Five feet, not even that, away from… well, the end. The **End**.

How exactly did he get here? What drove him to this? A gun (he isn't sure the caliber; shooting things had never been an interest to him as he has always preferred swords) lies on the simple wooden desk, next to his schoolwork with red numbers below 70 scrawled onto them, encircled in yet more red, dry ink. All around is the evidence of a normal teenager; the clutter of clothes, the wadded up graph paper next to an overflowing tin trash can, the single hairbrush, the untidy bed, and the bursting closet. On a shelf jutting out from his white, poster-covered walls rests a stereo system. It isn't playing anything. All his music is too upbeat. They make him feel empty.

But then again, everything makes him feel empty.

Waking up in the morning, eating breakfast (or not, as of late), walking to the bus stop, listening to the raucous high school kids around him as they complain about the overbearing warmth or chill (depending on the season), sitting through classes, smiling, watching other people laugh and smile. Cringing from his friend's expectant gazes. All these things make him empty and dark. Although thought to be light-hearted and always happy, he's absolutely sick of everything. Or at least, of the way things are now. There isn't any sign or chance of them getting better either. That's what this whole last month has proved to him, isn't it?

The only thing lively about him now is his hair, which stubbornly sticks out in spikes all over his head loyally. In spite of himself, Sora raises a hand and brushes his calloused fingers through the brunette locks. His hair had already looked windswept from stress and the fall zephyr, so nothing could affect it now, reminding just how weak and affected he is by stupid little shit. He glances down towards the metal end.

Something snatches on his ribcage, like a hook in a fish's mouth; sadness, guilt, and regret tug upon his heartstrings. Fear bubbles just under the surface as his dead, but not quite decayed, eyes glance at the black, deadly weapon again.

Suddenly dizzy and weak, his knees buckle, but his body lands in his spin-able, cushioned, grey desk chair. Although he could never tell you why, salty water accumulates in his eyes but he violently sniffs and looks at the ceiling, mustering just enough courage to count to ten. He doesn't break down. He's done doing that, right? No more tears.

Will they cry? Will they wonder why? …Who cares? If Sora were honest with himself, he would be aware of how much he does. About himself, and his friends. But life, to him, is a dead end. His heart is a huge, irreversibly tangled knot. And so is his stomach, especially when he looks at that gun. It's the only solution right? He's so tired of being brave. So tired of facing the day without anyone to help fight the darkness inside him. Yeah, that's right. He's human, with darkness inside him. Go figure.

After some sort of twisted whim of bravado, Sora actually lifts the gun. Just examining it. Cocking the gun is easy, and almost relieving but frightening all at the same time as the sound fills the room and echoes off the walls, reminding him laughingly how permanent and how real this decision is. All of the sudden, the room is just a little brighter. The air becomes nerve-wrenchingly crisp; so much that his hand begins to shake. Something about this is all off. He knows this isn't right. But he wants it to be. Desperately. Wouldn't this be so much easier? Why can't the right thing be the easy thing for once?

Does it even matter? Now, of all times, he shouldn't be thinking about this. It doesn't matter if it's "right" or "wrong" or brave or cowardly or selfish. He isn't those things, he tells himself, he's only tired. And that's natural. This is natural, because he's done fighting. No one will miss him much.

But it only takes a curved movement of his wrist and a single glance at the black hole in the gun to erupt in tears and juxtaposed laughter. He's so afraid, and so angry, and so miserable that it's absolutely hilarious. The answers to 'how' and 'why' he does not know, but he can't bring himself care about it either.

What is it that he's so afraid of? The pain? The disappointment others will surely possess when they find him here, sprawled on the floor in a puddle of infinite red? Or is it just death itself? The dark? The unknown? It's not that he's afraid of the pain; he knows that if he pulls the trigger, the agony will be, at the most, brief. There's only so much your brain can register when it's scrambled. As for his friends and family, he had already convinced himself they wouldn't care. He chooses not to think about that too much though, because he knows, buried deep down, that they will care. But alas, he concludes it must be the dark or the unknown that he's afraid of. However, hadn't he chosen this because his life became dark and lost, uncharted and mysterious? Irrevocably impossible, even? Does this mean he has caught himself in between two permanently unbearable situations?

The giggles catch in his throat and he gasps, letting the heavy metal being held in his hand fall to the desk with a startling _thunk. _His head follows, hitting with a quieter, deeper thump against the wood. His stomach and lungs spasm through his lacrimal laughter as he tries to gain control, but he can't stop. For a fleeting moment, he wonders if his body is reacting this way just to avoid dying. Tears run down his cheeks and drip past his chapped lips, but some manage to attach themselves to his eyelashes stubbornly as if they don't want to die, mimicking the rest of his body. Well, at least one of them has tenacity. They hold more answers than he does.

That's when his bedroom door opens.

Startled, Sora thrusts his head up, terrified and angry instantly upon this intruder. He doesn't notice this, but if his finger had been on the trigger, he'd have to switch the prefix of '-cide' he committed.

But what the brunette does register is the silver hair and the unassuming turquoise eyes. "Hey, Sora, sorry to barge in but I-"

His friend's eyes searched the room during his greeting, but they came to a dead stop when they met a pair of red-rimmed, blue eyes. Panic is the only clear thing Sora can feel; out of all his friends or family that could've caught him, he didn't want it to be Riku. Aside from the shame that the older male could make him feel unintentionally from many reasons that he rather not explain, the silverette is too observant. The acrid, turquoise eyes avert from his watery eyes, to his rumpled clothes, and finally to the gun in his hand.

Many undefined emotions race through the silverette's orbs, but none of the shock or panic registers on his pale face. Although usually indirect with everything, Riku asks bluntly, "Sora, why do you have a gun?"

Out of some stroke of rare vigilance, Sora notices the tremor within the melodic voice belonging to his careful friend. The hook attached to his heart jerks again; sadness, guilt, regret. For once, Sora can't find his voice. All the reasons he had seem fruitless and empty (like everything else) in front of the taller companion. The blue orbs fall towards the floor, tears threatening to spill over his cheeks yet again. God, he's so tired of tears. Why must he cry in front of Riku of all people?

Finally catching on a train of coherent, reasonable thought, Sora responds to the question with another one, "What else am I supposed to do?"

The silverette hoped that the brunette had some innocent reason to having a gun in his hand, but that bubble of security popped. Upon the question, Riku feels a chilling shiver run across his skin and throughout his whole body. It affects him so much, he resorts to leaning against the wall for emotional support; only Sora could have this effect on him. The echo of Sora's laughter still resounds in his mind from just a few days ago; there's something so horrible about it when it meets the situation at hand, so heartbreaking, that it gives him and urge to break something. Preferably the gun in his best friend's hand, if only he had the strength.

"Anything but that," Riku finally replies, trying to hide the contagious empty and broken feelings spreading from Sora to him, albeit it's not intentional.

Unevenly, the brunette croaks, "I-I'm sorry." In addition to the clenching and skipping of his heart and its beats, Riku feels it tear painfully, even physically despite no true harm has befallen either of them. Sora makes it sound like he's made up his mind, like there's no turning back. This scares Riku more than anything. But, somehow… he understands.

"Sora… I know you're tired," that's the only way to describe the feeling, and he knows it, "but you _have _to keep going," Riku knows how much Sora hates to hear it, but he keeps going, "Things won't stay like this forever; you have a future. A good one, a happy one, a bright one."

"I need purpose, Riku." Sora doesn't know where that came from, or the growl tone it came out in either. He glances at Riku, almost afraid he has made the silverette angry. But Riku just nods, desperation obvious on his face. Another tug of guilt as Sora realizes he really does care.

"Y-you have one, I just don't know what it is… but Sora, how can you find purpose if you leave? Your purpose is here not…" s_ix feet under.' _That's what he would've finished with, but the last couple words were too heavy to say, so instead it remained stuck in his rapidly clogging throat. Flashes of images; Sora's blank face, white, emotionless, and warmth-less; life without him; a day without his smile; a day without his encouragement; a moment without his mere presence; all these things bring tears to Riku's own eyes, but he refuses to let them fall.

"It's all just pointless. I-I don't care, I just want to sleep," the brunette replies, unable to remain cold through his lie. He does care, much more than Riku could possibly think, but… He sighs, frustration dousing his heart as he can't find a logical reason to his situation. The beloved silverette is correct; if he leaves, everything will stay the same, except he won't be here to one day fix it. Sora thought nothing would ever change, but maybe they could. Hope dies last, and he had thought he killed it, but the embers of that flame are still warm. As usual, the silverette's presence and obvious sympathy and worry sparks a small flame back to life, warm and tear drop shaped like a candle.

Yet, Riku appears to be struggling with words. The situation is too dire to hide his frenetic bewilderment. "Sora… Even if you can't keep going for yourself, could you keep living for your friends, family?"

"What do you think I _have _been doing? I'm tired of that too, I…" Once again, confusion comes over everything like a fog.

"Whatever is bothering you, I can help you!" his best friend exclaims, eyes desperate; he searches for some way to pull Sora out of the darkness that surrounds him. There's got to be a way, there's got to be a way.

"I'm hopeless, Riku… Y-you don't understand…" he continues to lie to himself, but he manages to explain, "My grades are pitiful; at this rate I won't be able to graduate high school. Everyone has life plans, but I have nothing. Eventually everyone is going to leave me, so why should I stick around to watch them wave goodbye?"

The silverette lifts his hand, covering his eyes. "…I don't know about the others, but I sure as hell am not going anywhere…" Sora can tell it took a lot of courage for Riku to say that, just by the way the words stumbled through his light pink lips. He said it softly, as if there were more to the statement than the words themselves. The brunette's candle burns brighter, an amount of hope and faith he hasn't had in months.

After a deep breath, Riku removes his hand; he's collected control over himself. With beseeching eyes, he stares into Sora's dark, unfathomable eyes. "I promise I'll stay with you forever; just… please, hand me the gun."

Sora's blue eyes avert from Riku's to the gun in his own hand. He wants to cry all over again; so maybe he doesn't really want to die. All his other reasons had led to a single one; he didn't want to end up alone. He didn't want to be left behind. But his best friend, his almost- _everything_, just promised he'd never leave. That- well, no, it doesn't solve anything. But it's enough reason to stay.

A cold hand touches his own and Sora's wide, cerulean orbs stare into Riku's anguished emotions as they shine brightly through his eyes. As if burned, Sora yanks his hand away; not from Riku's touch, but from the metal weapon he had been holding. The brunette sees now; that gun had never belonged in his hand. Sora's name has a profound meaning, 'sky'. He should be flying through the clouds, closer to sun than anyone had ever been. The dark abyss he had almost surrendered to never would've brought him any peace. He belongs to the light, and the light belongs to him. His purpose has been, and always will be, to be the lantern down the dark tunnel of life.

Instead of taking the gun away, Riku slides it to the edge of the desk, pointing it away from both of them as he dislodges the cartridge, removing the three bullets within. (A/N: I don't know absolutely ANYTHING about guns, so if I got this all wrong, please kindly correct me). The brunette doesn't attempt to hide his awe, though one mental image of his skull gushing dark red, sticky liquid is enough to send a shiver down his spine. When he starts shaking, Riku looks on again in concern.

"You ok, Sora?" The silverette knows it's a stupid question considering the situation, but he knows how quickly his friend can go from one problem or feeling to the next. And he is right; Sora is suddenly hit with the force of what he almost did, what he could've done had Riku not intervened. The brunette would be _dead_, a bloody mess to stain the carpet and 15,000 dollars worth of a grave and a coffin, never to see the light of day or kiss his mother again. Never to smile, never to…anything. The only thing available would be sleep, without a dream. Without a heart, without a care. He doesn't want to know what being a corpse feels like; perhaps it doesn't feel like anything. Everything he never would've experienced rushes to consult and tempt him. Hadn't he always dreamed of falling in love and have the affection be returned? Didn't he want to go to college and graduate with a firm understanding of what he wanted to do with his life? He has a future… and he was about the throw it away.

"Wh-what was I going to _do?_" Sora cries, resting his elbows on his knees as his forehead falls into his hands. Instantly, Riku is at his side, kneeling to mutter softly, "It's okay…" His arm winds around his shoulder, bringing him close as the brunette suddenly starts to bawl again as if mourning. But in a way, he is. The silverette doesn't know what else to do except let his best friend cry, accepting the salty tear stains on his shirt and the childish weeping. He understands; Sora had to grow up and now he's got to let out the sorrow. After today, he'll have to be strong again but for now, Riku's there, and every tear makes it that much easier. Just that knowledge that someone else knows is a ton off his shoulders. Secrets are tiring, especially for someone pure like Sora. Sadness didn't use to be in his vocabulary; he's got to learn how to shed the word even when times are tough too.

Somehow, Riku half-carries-half-leads his best friend to his bed, laying them both down on their sides. Riku rests on his propped up elbow, using his other hand to stroke his friend's brunette hair or rest on his quivering back while Sora grips the silverette's navy blue cotton t-shirt. He cries because there's nothing else to do, no other way to expend the pain. He mourns his time in darkness while he remained hidden, purposefully yet not because all he really wanted was for someone to care. He opens his heart to the silverette, not for the first time; if it were possible, he'd straight out give it to him, as he is the only one he truly trusts his heart with. Though Riku doesn't know that. He may never know, but for now, that's okay. Sora is grateful for his presence.

When the tears finally become numerable, time has lost track of itself. They could've only been there for a minute or several hours. Riku wouldn't really have minded either way. Despite the cool sorrow emanating from his friend's heart, his body lingers with the same warmth he was born with and just that could bring the stone-resolve of the silverette to tears. Later, when alone with only the walls to witness, the silverette could foresee his own breakdown, though perhaps he'd let it out more violently than tearfully.

"Ri-hiccup-ku?" Sora says, loosening his grip on the shirt. His brunette eyebrows furrow upon his friend's furious expression. A pang of panic erupts; is he pissed off that he cried?

But upon his voice, the silverette snaps out of his daze; in fact, he had been cursing the world for bringing lovable, adorable, fantastic Sora to the point of breaking. His icy eyes shatter and melt when he averts his gaze upon the tear-stricken face of his life-long friend, responding "Yeah?"

With a small smile, the brunette wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, apologizing, "S-sorry for breaking down like that… Uhm, I-I'm okay now... I-"

"Shh," Riku says, smiling slightly too, "Even if you weren't okay after that, I'd let you break down again until you were. It's fine, don't mention it."

The silverette has never ceased to surprise him. About a million new emotions enter his heart in that moment and linger; adoration, appreciation, affection. Sora impulsively does the only thing he can think of to do; the emotions are simply too much to live and let die. Stretching his neck up, for the barest of moments, he fuses his lips to the silverette's. Never mind the immediate fireworks or the pleasurable shiver than courses down and disseminates from his spine, or the ultimate feeling of contentment, _rightness, _and electric happiness that erupts like a volcano from his heart.

Riku doesn't even have the time to register what exactly is touching his lips when Sora is already pulling away, blue eyes staring up completely oblivious to the context of a kiss. Even several seconds afterward, his usually cool and collected turquoise eyes are permanently stuck in shock, for more than one reason. One, the whole situation is beginning to give his heart some form of emotional whiplash. For two, did his best friend just kiss him? And three, why does he feel like he's been struck with lightening, or possibly blinded by the sun?

"That's my promise, Riku- I won't leave, or try to again. I promise."

This snaps the silverette from his trance. The brunette's statement isn't a desperate plea for love, it's not a confession, it's not a lie of how everything is suddenly forevermore light; it's simply a promise. A promise of the future. A future of love, strength, and baby steps. It makes the kiss right.

"…I know," Riku finally replies, "Take all the time you need; I'll be here whenever you need me, to make you take a step back from the end and never return to it."

And Sora just nods, eyes set with the glowing embers of bravery. He's come back.


	66. Erased

~Erased~

Kairi is with him, yet love-struck Sora is unable to tell how long that will last. She doesn't look at him with a yearning or adoring gaze. It's a predatory stare, in the sense that he belongs to her as long as she deems that worth a 'taken' status.

But Sora is so determined to change all of that; he'll give everything up, even himself, to her if that will make her truly his, forever.

But his everything is never enough for her. She abandons him friendless with a bloody knife in his back, piercing right where his hopeful heart used to beat.

"He's just an easy whore." And with this lie soaking his reputation, Kairi erases Sora's existence from her mind.

* * *

"I… I don't know, Riku… That kind of thing means forever to me… I can't give myself to you if you aren't giving me all of you."

"Babe… To me, going all the way is a promise. It's promising that through no matter what, I'll be there. I want _all_ of you, forever. Even when you're crying, even when you think you look horrible, even when you're suffering the guy form of PMS- it doesn't matter. I love you no matter what, because you already have me. Completely."

* * *

Selphie is the only one there when the violet-eyed demon leaves him stolen of all happiness. Bit by bit, she constructs him back together… Sora even calls them best friends, a title he was so sure he'd never give another person again. It takes time, but soon enough, they're an item. Sora doesn't give her his everything, but it's a safety precaution, a tactic she taught him herself. Still, he hopes that someday he'll be able to. That they'll make it to the end.

However, what Sora doesn't realize is that yet again he's the one who needs her, and not the other way around. In a few short months, the cheery brunette girl is already anxious to move on. She has so many friends to keep up with, and being a year older going into high school, she simply doesn't have time for him anymore. She says good-bye with her face to the future, never once looking back.

They never spoke again.

* * *

"Babe, why would I ever leave you? You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, Sora…"

"I'm not good enough… You'll find someone else that's better than me. Either that, or you'll just get bored of me and move on. Life will take you to other places."

"No. I can guarantee that'll never happen. If anything, it'll be the other way around. You deserve better than me."

* * *

Three years, obsessing over him like he was god. Sora knew he was just the rebound to the flamboyant redhead, but he just couldn't say no to him. Every time, the brunette would hope that maybe this time Axel wouldn't leave. Every time, he would believe (in vain) that Axel saw and cared about who he really was. Yet every time, he knocked on the door of Sora's heart, and then ran before the brunette could answer the door.

Even when Sora becomes determined to get over the player, a space in his heart still aches and yearns for him. What finally kills the emptiness is a heated kiss between the two; or rather, the finality when Axel, unsurprisingly, takes the moment back the very next day. Pretending it never happened. The next week, the pyro finds himself a different boyfriend, Roxas, whom the redhead falls all over himself for. In the end, Sora can't help but wonder deep down what's wrong with him. He'll never understand why he couldn't satisfy Axel's ever-burning flame.

But Sora knows that he will finally never go back to that. He's tired of being used, tired of being the rebound. He may not be perfect, but he still deserves better.

* * *

After learning to be alone, it's hard to accept someone else intruding into your life. They might not even mean to be, but it just so happens that they do naturally.

Riku is very much like this; Sora can't stop thinking about him.

The silverette doesn't have a cell phone, can rarely get on the internet, and only sees Sora once a day in school. Not only that, the man is so quiet, it's hard to get anything out of him. Yet the brunette can't help but chase after him, knowing that something within their hearts are drawing them together. It's infuriating because every sensible bone in Sora's body screams that he'll only get hurt. Why can't his heart and mind ever get along?

Ironically, the older silverette seems hesitant to engage in even friendship, and yet is unable to say no as well. What keeps this awkward, disjointed almost-relationship going is when they hang out together. When the two are face to face, Riku is more likely to reveal something about himself, and for once, Sora pays attention. The brunette steers the conversation towards his companion successfully, and gradually he's able to piece together Riku's life and being. And as the silverette turns the tables to learn about Sora, the ice in their hearts slowly melts and breaks. While to others they uphold a false grin, they smile at each other honestly and laugh as if children- a talent they both thought they had lost. Unwilling to lose this new-found happiness, both of them know there's no turning back; their hearts have been stolen.

Still, it's not easy for either of them to trust each other, but it grows as they are forced to rely on each other. As their high school years crawl by, friends cause drama, old wounds reopen, and stress stretches them to the brim. But neither of them will break their promises; they'll always be there for each other, no matter what. Sora has never felt so blessed; for once, he feels as if needing the silverette isn't a bad thing, isn't dangerous, because Riku needs him just as much. And because of this, Sora realizes that the past no longer holds any value to him. He doesn't need to agonize over them anymore, looking for the things he did wrong, or ways he could've changed to make the outcome different.

Instead, now he has them simply

Erased.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been way too long. And if this chapter kinda fails, I'm so sorry, I'm having to relearn how to write since it's been so long. School gave me a writers block that I still can't get past most of the time. I'm trying to edit/finish older ones and then finish the series at chapter 70. I still want to write, though I'm not sure what to write for (if that makes sense) so... I at least need to get this resolved so you guys aren't just waiting and waiting :P **

**Depressing stuff aside, I really wanted to thank you guys. I can't believe how many reviews and views I got, and how much support this series of oneshots received. Simply put, you guys are the best :) You made last summer my best one so far, and so I hope life will take you in the directions you want it to go. **

**Lots of Love,**

**Hannahble**


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